Global Raisin Update

Raisins

California raisin exports have been relatively stable over the last six months, reflecting steady sales. Prices for bulk Natural Thompson Seedless (NTS) Selects has been stable and competitive with other origins, like South Africa and Chile.

The California raisin industry has been shipping 5,187 packed tons per month on average to export markets over the last six months which is 33% lower than the prior year period. Export shipments have clearly not yet recovered, in part due to weaker purchasing from key destination markets for bulk California raisins.

Japan, the U.K., Germany, China, and Taiwan experienced the largest decreases in tonnage imported over the last 6 months compared to the prior year period. The combination of higher prices and last year’s widespread crop damage may have provided a window of opportunity for other origins (Turkey) to take export market share from California raisin exporters. Since California raisin prices have softened since the harvest, many have expected exports to rebound to levels seen in prior years. However, March export shipments of NTS raisins showed a continuation -- not a recovery -- of slow California raisin shipments to export markets.

Amid trade uncertainty due to Brexit and preference for Turkish raisins, the U.K. is down 75% or 2,169 packed tons. Germany, like the UK, also faces intense cost competitiveness and sourcing has shifted to Turkey, South Africa, and Chile in recent years. The shift was likely accelerated by the widespread crop damage to the California raisin crop in 2017 / 2018. However, in March, Germany had it’s best shipment month in the past year, importing 483 packed tons of bulk Natural Seedless raisins from California. Perhaps the more competitive price levels are bringing European buyers who have been otherwise more interested in Turkish, South African, and Chilean raisins. Though Germany had strong shipments in March, over the last 6 months, total shipments have lagged the prior year by 1,885 packed tons or 53%.

China is down 49% or 1,479 packed tons, largely due to the increased tariff on California raisins which is making the product more expensive than other growing regions like Chile. Taiwan is increasing imports of California raisins but is still down 32% compared to the prior year period.

Exports of California raisins to Malaysia are accelerating. In March, Malaysia imported 299 MT of Natural Thompson Seedless raisins, it’s best month in 42 months.

In South Africa, sales have been slow in recent weeks. Since the prices from California are now at similar levels, South Africa is facing more competition in export markets to move their material. Both South Africa and Chile are facing this challenge as prices have become competitive between these origins in recent months.

In Chile, the crop is about 2 weeks late due to weather-related reasons. Early reports from the vineyards in Chile suggest that the production of Flame raisins is 30% lower than last year. Growers are changing from old varieties of fresh table grapes to new varieties and the rate of vine pull-outs is proceeding at a faster pace than previously thought.

Another challenge to the current Chilean raisin crop is that some raisin growers neglected to invest in additional inputs for their grapes in a year when such investments were even more critical due to the very high temperatures during the growing season in Chile this year. As a result, a fairly large share of the total Chilean crop -- perhaps 20% -- is of lower quality not fit for export. Buyers of Chilean raisins should be careful to deal only with reliable suppliers to receive the best quality Chilean raisins.

Production of Chilean Golden raisins is down significantly compared to last year. Ovens used to make golden raisins are reportedly operating at 40% - 50% lower capacity utilization due to weaker demand from export markets.

We supply all major bulk California, Chilean, and South African raisins including dried-on-the-vine (DOV) and tray-dried Natural Thompson Seedless Selects, Selma Petes, Flames, Goldens, and other varieties in Jumbo, Select, and Midget sizes and welcome your inquiries. We also supply Selma Pete DOV Double-Run Supreme raisins to Japan and elsewhere which are processed twice to achieve exceptionally low stem and capstem counts. We offer multiple packaging options including custom boxes with client branding, supplier branded boxes, and blank unbranded boxes.

Almonds

The U.S. China trade war is obstructing sales of California almonds to China and Hong Kong.

This year, from August 1st to March 31st, exports of California almonds to China and Hong Kong totaled 105 million, down 31% from the prior year period. Last year, China and Hong Kong represented 32% of the export market for California almonds. This year, they represent only 22% due to increased tariffs on imports of almonds from California.

Our most popular almond varieties are Nonpareil, Independence, Butte/Padre, and Carmel types with the most popular grades of Supreme, Extra, Standard 5%, and more.

Walnuts

We work with California’s top walnut packers to supply our customers with Jumbo and Jumbo / Large (J/L) in-shell Chandler, Howard, Hartley, Vina, Tulare, Serr and other varieties. We also provide bleached in-shell walnuts in addition to California shelled product including Chandler and non-Chandler Light Halves & Pieces (LHP) 20%, 40%, 80% and higher based on customer requirements. We also supply Combo Halves and Pieces (CHP).

Pistachios

Prices for U.S. pistachios have remained steady as consistent demand means lead times of 4 to 6 weeks currently for any new orders. Supply is available, despite the longer than normal lead times for production once a contract is signed.

We supply in-shell and kernel pistachios for all sizes, grades and styles. We also supply roasted Extra No. 1 pistachios and welcome your inquiries.

Cranberries

Continued limited availability of Whole Sweetened Dried Cranberries (SDCs) as well as increases in the cost of freight are continuing to support firm pricing. This year, there will be no USDA Producer Withholding so the artificial reduction in supply which we saw in the last 2 years which helped move the price up, will not be present this year. The trade war with China continues to complicate U.S. exports to mainland China with higher tariffs on U.S. origin, driving customers to seek offers for Canadian origin cranberries. Organic sales are going well and the latest organic cranberry crop is of good quality. Overall, we are seeing most cranberry business being done on a hand-to-mouth basis rather than forward contracting for multiple containers delivered over a longer timeline (6+ months). After Easter, European buyers will likely come back to the table to replenish their stocks of bulk cranberries for the remainder of the year.

We supply Conventional and Organic Whole or Sliced Sweetened Dried Cranberries (SDCs) packed in bulk cases as well as Organic Apple Juice Sweetened varieties. We also work with quarter inch diced and other diced cranberry products available as per client requirement. In addition, we supply 50 Brix and 65 Brix cranberry concentrate shipped in bulk 55 gallon drums.

Other Products

We work with a number of other products so please reach out if you have an inquiry for something you do not see here. We are experts in sourcing bulk food ingredients and welcome the opportunity to work with you on your inquiries. Some of our other product offerings include sunflower seeds, lentils, green peas, freeze dried fruits, popcorn, dried cherries, dried apples, dried blueberries, cherry concentrate, quinoa, dried honey dates, dried cherry tomatoes, dried gojis, dried kiwis, dried strawberries, chickpeas, chia seeds, dried mulberries, almonds, macadamias, pistachios, walnuts, cashews, pine nuts, pecans, brazil nuts, pumpkin seed kernels, melon kernels, hazelnuts, dried prunes, golden raisins, sultanas, dried apricots, sweet apricot kernels, dried black currants, dried figs, dried dates, popcorns, maraschino cherries, dried tomatoes, strawberry pie filling, blueberry pie filling, cherry pie filling, dried mangoes, dried gingers, dried pineapple, and desiccated coconut.

Work With Us As a Supplier

We are always looking to grow our supplier base with companies capable of delivering high quality food ingredients at large volumes. If you are interested, please reach out and introduce yourself.

Raisins, Walnuts, Pistachios & More

Raisins

New crop raisins are available from California, South Africa, and Chile.

South African raisins are being processed now with the first shipments happening in the second half of March and the first half of April. Intake has jumped up over the last few weeks and recent dry weather has been favorable for processing. The Sultana yield looks to be lower than last year, making for a total South African crop that is not likely to exceed 65,000 metric tons. Prices for South African raisins have softened over the past few weeks, following with California. 

In recent weeks, prices for California Natural Thompson Seedless raisins have come down. Weaker shipment numbers compared to last year at this time and slower sales are motivating some producers to be more aggressive with pricing. The current California Thompson raisin price is competitive with the current South African raisin price. California raisin packers may see larger numbers of European buyers in the market for California raisins than in recent years. Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK have almost completely stopped importing California raisins in favor of other, cheaper alternatives. Perhaps competitive prices will encourage these large and important buyers to rediscover the excellent quality California raisins are famous for.

We supply all major bulk California raisins including dried-on-the-vine (DOV) and tray-dried Natural Thompson Seedless Selects, Selma Petes, Flames, Goldens, and other varieties in Jumbo, Select, and Midget sizes and welcome your inquiries. We also supply Selma Pete DOV Double-Run Supreme raisins to Japan and elsewhere which are processed twice to achieve exceptionally low stem and capstem counts. We offer multiple packaging options including custom boxes with client branding, supplier branded boxes, and blank unbranded boxes. 

Walnuts

The top 3 importers of California in-shell walnuts -- Turkey, U.A.E., and Italy -- experienced growth in imports of at least 12%.

California in-shell walnuts were exported to the Middle East / Africa (60%), Europe (27%), Asia (12%), and other markets over the last 6 months, from September 1st to February 28th. Turkey, representing 47% of all tonnage for the Middle East & Africa (ME&A), imported 84 MM lbs., an increase of 17% or 12 MM lbs compared to the prior year period. The U.A.E. reported the largest increase in tonnage (29 MM lbs) compared to last year, an increase of over 115%. Jebel Ali has been very active this year on both in-shell and shelled walnuts from California. Italy, the 3rd largest importer globally, also by 12% or 5 MM lbs compared to last year. 

According to the California Walnut Board, in-shell export shipments totaled 295 MM lbs., up 38 MM lbs or 15% from the prior year period of 256 MM lbs from September to February. With a later harvest this year, shipments were slower in October than past years but picked up quickly thereafter. Shipments in November, December, January and February were all stronger than the prior year. Now, California walnut packers are quite well sold and only a few miscellaneous in-shell walnut loads are available.

The quality of Chile’s new crop walnuts looks good with both the size and yield looking normal with favorable conditions leading up to the harvest. The temperature during the last few weeks before Chile’s harvest tends to determine the color of the walnuts. If there is too much heat, perhaps the nuts will be darker than normal. If conditions remain favorable, the color will be light and the crop will be healthy. This year, Chile’s walnut crop is estimated to be 135,000 - 150,000 metric tons, although it will take some weeks to get an accurate accounting of the final number.

Shipments of Chilean walnuts will begin over the next few weeks with early varieties like Serr available for shipment in the first half of April and Chandler shipping just a few weeks later around second half of April - first half of May. 

Chilean in-shell and shelled walnuts are now available and we welcome your inquiries.  

We work with California’s top walnut packers to supply our customers with Jumbo and Jumbo / Large (J/L) in-shell Chandler, Howard, Hartley, Vina, Tulare, Serr and other varieties. We also provide bleached in-shell walnuts in addition to California shelled product including Chandler and non-Chandler Light Halves & Pieces (LHP) 20%, 40%, 80% and higher based on customer requirements. We also supply Combo Halves and Pieces (CHP).

Pistachios

Pistachios shipments are ahead of last year and strong new planting activity this year suggests further growth to come. In 2018, 30,000 acres of pistachios were planted, making it the largest year of plantings ever. Exports of open in-shell pistachios totaled 255 MM lbs from September 1st to February 28th, up 38 MM lbs or 18% from the prior year period according to date from the Administrative Committee for Pistachios.

Demand from China and Hong Kong continued to drive strong exports of bulk open in-shell pistachios to Asia. Tariffs with China were a concern earlier in the season but have not slowed down purchasing. There is only a 15% tariff on roasted pistachios for China so producers are shipping roasted product and avoiding higher tariffs. Iran, the only other major pistachio producing origin, is struggling with a weak crop due to frost damage and a challenging trade environment.

With a work-around from higher tariffs and few competitors, California pistachio producers succeeded in marketing and selling a record crop. 

We supply in-shell and kernel pistachios for all sizes, grades and styles. We also supply roasted Extra No. 1 pistachios and welcome your inquiries.

Cranberries

Not much has changed in the global cranberry markets over the last few weeks. Demand remains strong with many sellers reporting good sales of Whole SDC, Organic Whole and Organic Sliced SDC. Many suppliers also report that the various Juice Infused SDC products are increasingly popular with European buyers as an alternative to traditional sugar infused products.  

We supply Conventional and Organic Whole or Sliced Sweetened Dried Cranberries (SDCs) packed in bulk cases as well as Organic Apple Juice Sweetened varieties. We also work with quarter inch diced and other diced cranberry products available as per client requirement. In addition, we supply 50 Brix and 65 Brix cranberry concentrate shipped in bulk 55 gallon drums.

Almonds

California’s almond bloom has been going well, with plenty of moisture helping to produce promising budding nutlets. It is still too early to know how the new crop will compare to last year’s crop but the weather in California’s central valley has been favorable for the bloom.

Our most popular almond varieties are Nonpareil, Independence, Butte/Padre, and Carmel types with the most popular grades of Supreme, Extra, Standard 5%, and more.

Sunflower

U.S. sunflower prices have risen slightly over the last few months, reflecting increased costs of production and increased costs of freight. 

We supply In-shell sunflower as well as hulled sunflower kernel available in premium and industrial grades for all major sizes. Packaging options include 10 KG, 25 lb, and 50 lb bags.

Other Products

We work with a number of other products so please reach out if you have an inquiry for something you do not see here. We are experts in sourcing bulk food ingredients and welcome the opportunity to work with you on your inquiries. Some of our other product offerings include sunflower seeds, lentils, green peas, freeze dried fruits, popcorn, dried cherries, dried apples, dried blueberries, cherry concentrate, quinoa, dried honey dates, dried cherry tomatoes, dried gojis, dried kiwis, dried strawberries, chickpeas, chia seeds, dried mulberries, almonds, macadamias, pistachios, walnuts, cashews, pine nuts, pecans, brazil nuts, pumpkin seed kernels, melon kernels, hazelnuts, dried prunes, golden raisins, sultanas, dried apricots, sweet apricot kernels, dried black currants, dried figs, dried dates, popcorns, maraschino cherries, dried tomatoes, strawberry pie filling, blueberry pie filling, cherry pie filling, dried mangoes, dried gingers, dried pineapple, and desiccated coconut.

California Raisin Update

Raisins

Attractive pricing and excellent quality are encouraging sales of California raisins.

CALIFORNIA THOMPSON RAISIN SUPPLIER.JPG

Bulk Natural Thompson Seedless raisins from California were exported to Asia (72%), Europe (21%), and Latin America (7%) over the last 6 months, from September 1st 2018 to February 28th 2019. Japan continues to be the dominant foreign importer globally, representing 36% of the total California raisin market excluding Canada and the USA. Japan received more tonnage over this period than the next 9 largest importing countries combined. Japan represented half of the Asian market for California Natural Thompson Seedless (NTS) raisins. Japanese importers often seek out and pay a premium for California raisins which are cleaned, processed and laser-sorted multiple times to achieve exceptionally low stem and capstem counts. The pace of shipments to Japan will likely accelerate in the coming months as Japanese importers are often especially active buyers of NTS Select raisins for shipment in March, April, and May.

Over the last 6 months, Asia has shown a much deeper roster of countries importing California raisins compared to Europe. There were 10 countries in Asia importing more than 500 packed tons of California Natural Thompson Seedless raisins over the last 6 month period, while only 5 in Europe. For >1,000 packed tons, Asia had 5 (Japan, the Philippines, China, Taiwan, and South Korea) while Europe had only 3 (Norway, Sweden, and Germany). 

Though currently only representing single digit market shares of Asia’s imports of California raisins, the Asian countries importing California raisins besides Japan are quite important markets and will likely only become more so in the future. Countries like Japan, the Philippines, South Korea, Indonesia, and Singapore are largely island nations with physical (small agricultural land areas) and geographic (climate, weather, etc.) constraints on agricultural production. Many of these countries have massive populations, growing middle classes, and highly dense metropolitan areas which are fueling imports of high quality bulk food ingredients like California raisins. 

For example, Indonesia had it’s strongest import month in 22 months this February. Indonesia is also the only Asian country to experience positive growth (+56%) for volume imported over the last 6 months compared to the prior year period. Other major Asian importers of California raisins are still down significantly over the same period including China (54%), Thailand (42%), Taiwan (37%), and Japan (37%). 

Positive momentum for California raisin shipments continued in February, with the exports (10%) lower compared to last year, an improvement from (35%) in January.

California Raisin Shipments.png

Nonetheless, shipments from August 1st to February 28 still lag the prior year by 23K packed tons or 41%. 

With pricing now at more attractive levels for California raisins, and much buying still to come, we expect strong shipments of California raisins in the coming months.

We supply all major bulk California raisins including dried-on-the-vine (DOV) and tray-dried Natural Thompson Seedless Selects, Selma Petes, Flames, Goldens, and other varieties in Jumbo, Select, and Midget sizes and welcome your inquiries. We also supply Selma Pete DOV Double-Run Supreme raisins to Japan and elsewhere which are processed twice to achieve exceptionally low stem and capstem counts. We offer multiple packaging options including custom boxes with client branding, supplier branded boxes, and blank unbranded boxes. 

Southern Hemisphere New Crop: South Africa & Chile

In the Southern Hemisphere, New Crop South African and Chilean raisins are now shipping with offers available for April shipments and onwards of Thompson, Flame, Fancy Golden, and other varieties of raisins.

South African Raisins, Sultanas.png

South African raisin farmers and packers opted to produce less Golden raisins this year which is reflected in the pricing. South African currants are also in extremely short supply due to drought conditions in the Vredendal region. With a short new crop from South Africa and a poor crop of currants from Greece, the availability of currants is quite limited globally.

In Chile, the quality is good and there are reports of more Medium Flames than Jumbos this year and reports of shortages in Jumbo Flames are emerging, although the full extent remains to be seen. Quality is of Chilean raisins this year is good and new crop contracts are available.

We also supply South African and Chilean raisins and welcome your inquiries for new crop.

Cranberries

Inventories are down and sales are up for Bulk Sweetened Dried Cranberries (SDCs). The overall situation remains relatively unchanged with tight supply and stable pricing. The availability of Whole Sweetened Dried Cranberries continues to be extremely tight and is reflected in the pricing compared to Sliced SDCs. Higher tariffs continue to make US cranberries more expensive for some countries, including China. Whole and Sliced SDCs are becoming more popular in China, where the red color, taste, and sweetness make the berries an increasingly attractive food ingredient.

We supply Conventional and Organic Whole or Sliced Sweetened Dried Cranberries (SDCs) packed in bulk cases as well as Organic Apple Juice Sweetened varieties. We also work with quarter inch diced and other diced cranberry products available as per client requirement. In addition, we supply 50 Brix and 65 Brix cranberry concentrate shipped in bulk 55 gallon drums.

Walnuts

California walnut availability remains tight with pricing firm and the industry quite well sold. Light Chandler kernel material is very difficult to find at this point. Combo halves and pieces (CHP) and other material -- mostly sought after by the domestic U.S. market -- is available.

Chilean in-shell and shelled walnuts are now available and we welcome your inquiries.

Chandler Walnut.png

We work with California’s top walnut packers to supply our customers with Jumbo and Jumbo / Large (J/L) in-shell Chandler, Howard, Hartley, Vina, Tulare, Serr and other varieties. We also provide bleached in-shell walnuts in addition to California shelled product including Chandler and non-Chandler Light Halves & Pieces (LHP) 20%, 40%, 80% and higher based on customer requirements. We also supply Combo Halves and Pieces (CHP).

Sunflower

Prices for Premium and Bakery grade hulled sunflower kernel have risen slightly in the last few weeks, due in part to increases in the cost of shipping. Some sunflower suppliers are sold out of the XXL size.

We supply In-shell sunflower as well as hulled sunflower kernel available in premium and industrial grades for all major sizes. Packaging options include 10 KG, 25 lb, and 50 lb bags.

Other Products

We work with a number of other products so please reach out if you have an inquiry for something you do not see here. We are experts in sourcing bulk food ingredients and welcome the opportunity to work with you on your inquiries. Some of our other product offerings include sunflower seeds, lentils, green peas, freeze dried fruits, popcorn, dried cherries, dried apples, dried blueberries, cherry concentrate, quinoa, dried honey dates, dried cherry tomatoes, dried gojis, dried kiwis, dried strawberries, chickpeas, chia seeds, dried mulberries, almonds, macadamias, pistachios, walnuts, cashews, pine nuts, pecans, brazil nuts, pumpkin seed kernels, melon kernels, hazelnuts, dried prunes, golden raisins, sultanas, dried apricots, sweet apricot kernels, dried black currants, dried figs, dried dates, popcorns, maraschino cherries, dried tomatoes, strawberry pie filling, blueberry pie filling, cherry pie filling, dried mangoes, dried gingers, dried pineapple, and desiccated coconut.

Work With Us As a Supplier

We are always looking to grow our supplier base with companies capable of delivering high quality food ingredients at large volumes. If you are interested, please reach out and introduce yourself.

California Crop and Water Update

Raisins

Bulk California Natural Seedless raisin shipments to domestic and international markets increased by 8% in January though shipments are still down 47K packed tons or 33% from August 1st to January 31st. While the distance from last year remains wide, the gap is closing -- albeit slowly.

Momentum is in the right direction and the quality of raisins from California is excellent this year for bulk Natural Thompson Seedless raisins, Flame raisins, Golden Seedless, and other California raisin types. There is attractive current pricing for Flame raisins and Natural Thompson Select (NTS) raisins while due to shortages, prices for Zante Currants are quite high. 

The South African raisin crop in 2019 is expected to be normal though will likely not exceed 65K tons due to lower yields for Sultana raisins. Last week the intake from the fields jumped up. It has been dry for the past 14 days with some rain prior to that. First shipments of South African raisins will begin in mid-March. The processing capabilities of South African raisins processors have steadily improved, helping to open new export markets for bulk South African raisins. We supply South African Thompson and Sultana raisins as well as South African Golden raisins and welcome your inquiries. 

The Chilean raisin crop in 2019 is also expected to be normal with favorable growing conditions. There is some talk of slower-than-usual table grape business in Chile so there may be relatively more grapes destined to become raisins and shipped abroad compared to last year. The full crop size and quality remains to be seen but all signs so far appear positive for Chile’s raisin harvest.

We supply all major bulk California raisins including dried-on-the-vine (DOV) and tray-dried Natural Thompson Seedless Selects, Selma Petes, Flames, Goldens, and other varieties in Jumbo, Select, and Midget sizes and welcome your inquiries. We also supply Selma Pete DOV Double-Run Supreme raisins to Japan and elsewhere which are processed twice to achieve exceptionally low stem and capstem counts. We offer multiple packaging options including custom boxes with client branding, supplier branded boxes, and blank unbranded boxes. 

We also supply South African and Chilean raisins and welcome your inquiries for new crop.

Walnuts

California shelled walnut shipments were strong in January, up 20% compared to last year. From September 1st to January 31st, shipments of shelled California walnuts totaled 205 million pounds, up 3% or 6 MM lbs compared to the prior year.

The domestic demand for California shelled walnuts clearly continues to be strong with shipments up 12% or 9.8MM lbs for a total of 91MM lbs from September 1st to January 31st. On the export side, shipments to many of the top markets have varied widely this year.

Shipments to the top foreign market for California shelled walnuts, Germany, are down a staggering 40% or 12.1MM lbs. Over the same period, Germany is also down significantly (2MM lbs / 21%) on California in-shell walnut shipments. Other top markets down in shelled shipments included Korea (0.8MM lbs / 5%), Japan (4.9MM lbs / 28%), Canada (0.3MM lbs / 4%), and the Netherlands (0.9MM / 18%). 

The U.A.E. is stand-out market for growth in shelled walnut shipments from California this year, up 201% or 3.5 MM lbs. For in-shell California walnut shipments, the U.A.E. was also a top market for growth this year, importing 20MM lbs or 92% more than the prior year period. Other markets growing in tonnage include Spain (3.2MM lbs / 29%), Israel (2.3MM lbs / 44%), and the UK (1.2 MM lbs / 39%).     

Shortages of Chandler continue and offers are few and far in between. Buyers who covered forward needs early of California LHP are pleased as prices have increased considerably and availability has tightened as well.  Due to rain in California, some in-shell processing has been delayed since walnuts cannot be processed outdoors during periods of precipitation. Overall, the market for shelled California walnuts remains firm.

Chile’s walnut crop is expected to be high quality and larger yet again due to increased planted acreage of Chandler and other walnut varieties. Early indications of pricing are becoming more refined after many price discussions occurred at Gulfood in Dubai. Bulk Chilean walnuts will be available shortly and we welcome your inquiries for Chilean in-shell and shelled products.

We work with California’s top walnut packers to supply our customers with Jumbo and Jumbo / Large (J/L) in-shell Chandler, Howard, Hartley, Vina, Tulare, Serr and other varieties. We also provide bleached in-shell walnuts in addition to California shelled product including Chandler and non-Chandler Light Halves & Pieces (LHP) 20%, 40%, 80% and higher based on customer requirements. We also supply Combo Halves and Pieces (CHP).

California Water Update

California’s Sierra Nevada mountains are currently receiving historic snowfalls with February 2019 setting records for the snowiest recorded February ever with Mammoth Mountain in Northern California reporting 186 inches (473 cm) of snowfall just in the month of February.

The images above are taken from NASA, showing the same region on Feb. 15, 2018 (left image) and on Feb. 11 2019 (right image). You can even see in the right image a much more visibly green Central Valley of California. 

Over the last decade, California’s water situation has been defined by drought. One of the worst years in recent memory was 2015. This exceptionally dry season was preceded by years of a progressively smaller snowpack in the high Sierra, as seen in the images below (2012 - 2015). 

As can be seen in these images, 2015 was perhaps one of the worst years on record for California’s snowpack. Now, look at the images below, taken in February and March of 2019.

You can clearly see the difference between 2015 and today. This very likely means drought will not be an issue for California’s 2019 crop.

Snowpack is one of the most important sources of water for irrigation in California. Not only does snowpack recharge California’s surface water (rivers, lakes, reservoirs, etc.), it also feeds California’s vast stores of groundwater. Both surface water and groundwater supply California’s immense agricultural industry in different, but important ways. 

When understanding the resource of water, it is important to make a distinction between surface water and groundwater. 

Surface Water is all the water contained in earth’s surface features, both natural (lakes, rivers, deltas, etc.) and man-made (reservoirs, aqueducts, locks, etc.). You can think of surface water as a paycheck that comes in every month. If you use all the money before the end of the month, you may have a few lean days, but you will likely make it to the next month’s check, i.e. each year the winter snowpack is this paycheck for California’s surface water accounts. If all the surface water is used up from lakes, rivers, reservoirs and aqueducts during a given year, it is usually replaced in the form of snowpack each winter. 

By comparison, groundwater is much more like a 401k, or a savings account. It takes much longer for water to percolate from the surface to deep inside the earth where this water collects in the aquifers which underlie California’s Central Valley. And, just like a retirement or savings account, it is dangerous for your future to pull too much at once. Too many drought years with low snowpack in a row can cause farmers with low to no surface water access to draw groundwater instead. Since this resource is not replenished easily, drawing too much groundwater can have dire consequences, as the Central Valley knows only too well. In 2015 water had to be trucked into many parts of the state as public water resources either ran dry or became too toxic to drink (there are natural salts in the ground and in groundwater, if you pull too much groundwater, the remaining salt concentrates in the remaining water making it increasingly toxic to both humans and orchards). In years of excess snowpack, not only is there ample surface water, but this extra volume of fresh water also makes possible this extremely important recharging of groundwater aquifers. 

This year’s snowpack is a very good indication that there will be an abundance of water for California agriculture. 

Finally, compare the following United States Drought Monitor maps for February, 2015 vs. February, 2019.

In addition to the plentiful snowpack in California’s High Sierras, the current drought monitoring data also shows favorable conditions for California agriculture.

Other Products

We work with a number of other products so please reach out if you have an inquiry for something you do not see here. We are experts in sourcing bulk food ingredients and welcome the opportunity to work with you on your inquiries. Some of our other product offerings include sunflower seeds, lentils, green peas, freeze dried fruits, popcorn, dried cherries, dried apples, dried blueberries, cherry concentrate, quinoa, dried honey dates, dried cherry tomatoes, dried gojis, dried kiwis, dried strawberries, chickpeas, chia seeds, dried mulberries, almonds, macadamias, pistachios, walnuts, cashews, pine nuts, pecans, brazil nuts, pumpkin seed kernels, melon kernels, hazelnuts, dried prunes, golden raisins, sultanas, dried apricots, sweet apricot kernels, dried black currants, dried figs, dried dates, popcorns, maraschino cherries, dried tomatoes, strawberry pie filling, blueberry pie filling, cherry pie filling, dried mangoes, dried gingers, dried pineapple, and desiccated coconut.

Work With Us As a Supplier

We are always looking to grow our supplier base with companies capable of delivering high quality food ingredients at large volumes. If you are interested, please reach out and introduce yourself.


California Raisin Update

Raisins

Even compared to last year -- when rain caused major crop damage -- California raisin shipments are still down substantially to both domestic and foreign markets. California raisin exports totaled 4,932 packed tons in January, down slightly from December and down 35% compared to January of last year.

From August 1st to January 31st total shipments of California raisins totaled 97K packed tons, 33% lower than the prior year, when shipments totaled 143K. For the same time period, foreign exports have dropped off more severely (22k / 44%) than domestic shipments (24k / 26%). Japan, the top foreign market, is down (7K / 42%) from last year while other Asian markets are also down: China (2.4K / 63%), the Philippines (0.2K / 12%), Taiwan (0.9K / 40%), South Korea (0.9K / 42%) and Thailand (0.6K / 39%). In Europe, the drop-off in shipments has been even more pronounced, with the UK and Germany down by (2.9K / 81%) and (2.7K / 76%), respectively.

California packers are optimistic about the quality of their fruit versus other origins and versus last year, when rain damage while the raisins were drying caused many problems. Bulk California Thompson raisin prices have remained relatively stable and even if shipments continue to proceed at a modest pace, many packers will be reluctant to lower prices to sell the crop more quickly as California can support a larger carry-out. Many California packers carry year-round inventory to supply clients on a continuing basis. California has also never completely sold-out in one year, as is often the case in Chile and South Africa. With Asia coming back from the Lunar New Year holiday, we anticipate firming demand and elevated shipments in March. Jumbo Thompson and Medium Flame raisin prices are currently lower relative to the price of California Thompson Selects. Zante currants are in extremely tight supply globally.

We supply all major bulk California raisins including dried-on-the-vine (DOV) and tray-dried Natural Thompson Seedless Selects, Selma Petes, Flames, Goldens, and other varieties in Jumbo, Select, and Midget sizes and welcome your inquiries. We also supply Selma Pete DOV Double-Run Supreme raisins to Japan and elsewhere which are processed twice to achieve exceptionally low stem and capstem counts. We offer multiple packaging options including custom boxes with client branding, supplier branded boxes, and blank unbranded boxes.

Walnuts

The latest California Walnut Shipment Report confirms the extremely well-sold position of most California walnut packers.

In-shell shipments in January totaled 47MM lbs, up 113% compared to last year. December shipments of 55MM pounds were also very strong, up 54% versus the prior year. Big back-to-back shipment months for California in-shell walnuts have brought YTD shipments slightly ahead (+7%) compared to the prior year period.

The UAE is the stand-out market for growth in California walnut shipments this year so far, posting an increase of 20MM lbs or 92% over the prior year period. Jebel Ali continues to be a key destination for California tree nut products.

Turkey, the top foreign market, is up (10MM lbs / 15%) for California in-shell walnut shipments from September 1st to January 31st compared to last year. In Europe, Italy is posting modest growth (3MM / 6%) but Spain and Germany shrank by (1MM / 8%) and (2MM / 21%), respectively. Pakistan is up (11MM / 573%) due to transshipping so importers avoid India’s relatively expensive tariff on California walnuts. Together, the regional demand is still strong, with shipments to India and Pakistan up (3MM / 12%).

Unfavorable trade relations with China are clearly weighing on California in-shell walnut exports to the region. Shipments to China and Hong Kong are down severely (12MM / 66%) and shipments to Vietnam -- a known corridor to China -- are also down substantially (6MM / 35%). China and Hong Kong are now not even in the top 10 destination markets for California in-shell walnut shipments, losing the 10th place to Morocco which is showing some positive momentum (+2MM / 49%) this year.

As the strong shipments suggest, California Chandler in-shell walnut handlers are very well sold or completely sold out at this point in the season. Chandler kernel offers are also hard to find due to the strong shipments in recent months. In light of this tight supply situation for California Chandler walnuts, some handlers are offering Chandler substitutes such as Ivanhoe, Howard, or Hartleys.

We work with California’s top walnut packers to supply our customers with Jumbo and Jumbo / Large (J/L) in-shell Chandler, Howard, Hartley, Vina, Tulare, Serr and other varieties. We also provide bleached in-shell walnuts in addition to California shelled product including Chandler and non-Chandler Light Halves & Pieces (LHP) 20%, 40%, 80% and higher based on customer requirements. We also supply Combo Halves and Pieces (CHP).

Almonds

The January Almond Industry Position Report shows another strong year in almond shipments. Carry-in is down 10% vs. this time last year with total shipments lagging a mere 1.23% vs prior year. The 2018 / 2019 crop looks like it will be of similar size to the 2017 / 2018 crop with slightly less total supply than last year due in part to this 10% reduction in carry-in. Due to the strong shipments this year, prices for most almond varieties have remained stable and have been rising in recent weeks as supply tightens heading into the post Lunar New Year shipment period.

Europe (Western & Eastern) along with the Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) countries and India make up the largest total export markets for California almonds with shipments remaining strong year-over-year. Even so, there was some uncertainty through the harvest due to the various trade war and tariff spats between the US and many of its largest export markets. This uncertainty caused some handlers to open with lower prices than in previous years, although strong shipments have since buoyed prices and confidence.

Many of California’s largest handlers and suppliers will be negotiating forward contracts for the remaining crop as well as potential commitments for next year’s first shipments this week at Dubai’s Gulf Food Show (Feb. 17 - 21).

Our most popular almond varieties are Nonpareil, Independence, Butte/Padre, and Carmel types with the most popular grades of Supreme, Extra, Standard 5%, and more.

Cranberries

Conventional Sliced Sweetened Dried Cranberry (SDC) prices remain at high levels. There remains availability of sliced SDCs both for prompt shipment and forward contracts. Conventional Whole SDCs are in demand and in short supply. We expect high prices will continue as production of whole SDCs is a much more difficult process than sliced SDCs. Not all producers have the capability to produce whole SDCs and there remains a limit on total availability of whole SDCs each year.

The global SDC market continues to grow, and with it the industry has been introducing more diverse and health conscious options. Conventional sliced SDCs are the most widely consumed variety of SDCs, while other options are Organic SDCs and fructose sweetened SDCs. Among the increasingly available alternatives for sweetening cranberries are pineapple juice concentrate (PJC) and apple juice concentrate (AJC) for infusing fructose into Sweetened Dried Cranberries. Both fructose sweetened products and Organic SDCs are gaining in popularity in the USA and Europe. Cranberry producers are addressing this growing global demand with these more natural fructose sweeteners as a healthier alternative to foods which are sweetened with sucrose, or refined sugar syrup. Prices for AJC or PJC Sweetened Dried Cranberries are higher on average than prices for conventional sugar-sweetened cranberries.

We supply Conventional and Organic Whole or Sliced Sweetened Dried Cranberries (SDCs) packed in bulk cases as well as Organic Apple Juice Sweetened varieties. We also work with quarter inch diced and other diced cranberry products available as per client requirement. In addition, we supply 50 Brix and 65 Brix cranberry concentrate shipped in bulk 55 gallon drums.

OTHER PRODUCTS

We work with a number of other products so please reach out if you have an inquiry for something you do not see here. We are experts in sourcing bulk food ingredients and welcome the opportunity to work with you on your inquiries. Some of our other product offerings include sunflower seeds, lentils, green peas, freeze dried fruits, popcorn, dried cherries, dried apples, dried blueberries, cherry concentrate, quinoa, dried honey dates, dried cherry tomatoes, dried gojis, dried kiwis, dried strawberries, chickpeas, chia seeds, dried mulberries, almonds, macadamias, pistachios, walnuts, cashews, pine nuts, pecans, brazil nuts, pumpkin seed kernels, melon kernels, hazelnuts, dried prunes, golden raisins, sultanas, dried apricots, sweet apricot kernels, dried black currants, dried figs, dried dates, popcorns, maraschino cherries, dried tomatoes, strawberry pie filling, blueberry pie filling, cherry pie filling, dried mangoes, dried gingers, dried pineapple, and desiccated coconut.

WORK WITH US AS A SUPPLIER

We are always looking to grow our supplier base with companies capable of delivering high quality food ingredients at large volumes. If you are interested, please reach out and introduce yourself.

Happy Lunar New Year

CURRENT CRANBERRY PRICES.JPG

Raisins

Asia is the most important export market for California raisins. Europe is declining rapidly as a key buyer of California raisins. For Europe, Turkish and South African raisins have become increasingly preferred versus California raisins.

With the rise of Aldi and other discount grocery chains in Europe has come heightened cost competitiveness. With pricing always top of mind, many European buyers are hard-pressed to choose premium California raisins over cheaper product from Turkey, South Africa, and Chile. In addition to the cost advantages of these alternative origins, shorter transit times and lower freight costs make these origins even more attractive to European buyers.

In Asia, the appetite for California raisins is much stronger. Japan continues to be the world leader in California raisin purchases with an increasing share of the total California raisin export market. Japan’s share of the total California raisin export market excluding the U.S. and Canada increased from 30% in 2017 to 38% in 2018. As European buyers move away from sourcing raisins from California, other buyers in Asia are increasing their share of California raisin imports.

Imports of California raisins by the UK and Germany were stable for a number of years but have recently plummeted.

Japan, on the other hand, has rebounded to almost the same level as prior years.

Japan’s recovery is especially notable considering the smaller total available inventory versus prior years as widespread crop damage in 2018 led to a record-low carry-in for 2019. After Japan, the strongest and most stable markets in Asia are China, Taiwan, and South Korea.

While Europe looks for cheaper raisins from other origins, Asia is the rising star for California raisin packers. With growing populations and incomes, many developing markets in Asia are showing sustained increases in imports of California raisins. Indonesia and the Philippines are both growing markets for California raisins and are island nations with massive populations of 264 MM and 105 MM, respectively.

Global demand for California raisins remains high. No single origin is capable nor well suited to serving all raisin markets. We anticipate strong shipments to Asia after the conclusion of the Lunar New Year holidays.

We supply all major bulk California raisins including dried-on-the-vine (DOV) and tray-dried Natural Thompson Seedless Selects, Selma Petes, Flames, Goldens, and other varieties in Jumbo, Select, and Midget sizes and welcome your inquiries. We also supply Selma Pete DOV Double-Run Supreme raisins to Japan and elsewhere which are processed twice to achieve exceptionally low stem and capstem counts. We offer multiple packaging options including custom boxes with client branding, supplier branded boxes, and blank unbranded boxes.

Walnuts

With the in-shell season now nearly over, many California walnut packers are transitioning to kernel production. In the beginning of the season, there were widespread concerns due to trade wars between the U.S. and major in-shell walnut markets. Due to this uncertainty, both initial demand and initial prices were weaker than previous years. As prices went lower -- within a very short amount of time -- buyers seized the opportunity, and booked almost all of the available tonnage of in-shell California walnuts. Due to the purchasing wave, many suppliers across California are completely sold-out of Chandler in-shell walnuts and Chandler kernel. In this tightly supplied market, there will only be walnuts available on a limited basis depending on the supplier’s sold position.

We work with California’s top walnut packers to supply our customers with Jumbo and Jumbo / Large (J/L) in-shell Chandler, Howard, Hartley, Vina, Tulare, Serr and other varieties. We also provide bleached in-shell walnuts in addition to California shelled product including Chandler and non-Chandler Light Halves & Pieces (LHP) 20%, 40%, 80% and higher based on customer requirements. We also supply Combo Halves and Pieces (CHP).

Cranberries

China is a growing market for sweetened dried cranberries (SDCs). During the Chinese New Year, the color red is especially prized for good luck and success in the new year.

We supply Conventional and Organic Whole or Sliced Sweetened Dried Cranberries (SDCs) packed in bulk cases as well as Organic Apple Juice Sweetened varieties. We also work with quarter inch diced and other diced cranberry products available as per client requirement. In addition, we supply 50 Brix and 65 Brix cranberry concentrate shipped in bulk 55 gallon drums.

OTHER PRODUCTS

We work with a number of other products so please reach out if you have an inquiry for something you do not see here. We are experts in sourcing bulk food ingredients and welcome the opportunity to work with you on your inquiries. Some of our other product offerings include sunflower seeds, lentils, green peas, freeze dried fruits, popcorn, dried cherries, dried apples, dried blueberries, cherry concentrate, quinoa, dried honey dates, dried cherry tomatoes, dried gojis, dried kiwis, dried strawberries, chickpeas, chia seeds, dried mulberries, almonds, macadamias, pistachios, walnuts, cashews, pine nuts, pecans, brazil nuts, pumpkin seed kernels, melon kernels, hazelnuts, dried prunes, golden raisins, sultanas, dried apricots, sweet apricot kernels, dried black currants, dried figs, dried dates, popcorns, maraschino cherries, dried tomatoes, strawberry pie filling, blueberry pie filling, cherry pie filling, dried mangoes, dried gingers, dried pineapple, and desiccated coconut.

WORK WITH US AS A SUPPLIER

We are always looking to grow our supplier base with companies capable of delivering high quality food ingredients at large volumes. If you are interested, please reach out and introduce yourself.

Chandler Walnut Update

Walnuts

Chandler walnut prices are rising in California. The Chandler variety is the most sought after and due to the shorter-than-expected crop and strong demand and shipments, there is now only very limited supply available. Demand for Chandler in-shell in recent weeks has been particularly strong from the Middle East, where importers are eager to receive shipments ahead of Ramadan, now just a few months away.

Many packers are finished with in-shell altogether while others have some non-chandler varieties available. Due to the shortages of Chandler, many packers are cracking the Howard variety for light walnut halves and pieces (LHP).

California in-shell walnut shipments in December were extremely robust. Coming in at 55MM lbs., the figure exceeded last year by 54% and prior years by a substantial margin.

After a slow start to California in-shell walnut shipments -- largely due to the delayed harvest this year -- shipments rebounded considerably in December. For September and October, total in-shell shipments lagged the prior year by 24% but after the strong shipments in November and December, total shipments are down only 3% versus last year.

The top in-shell markets receiving less tonnage compared to last year include China + Hong Kong (12.5 MM lbs), India (6.1), Vietnam (6.1), USA (3.2), Germany (2.6) and Spain (1.3). So far this year, tariffs and trade uncertainties are clearly weighing heavily on Asian in-shell walnut imports this year from California. The U.A.E. is posting strong in-shell shipments compared to last year which we expect to continue in the coming months for pre-Ramadan stocking. Turkey and Italy are both just ahead of last year’s shipments from September 1st to December 31st. Pakistan, up 468%, is serving as a conduit to India so importers can avoid expensive tariffs on Indian imports of California in-shell walnuts. Together, India and Pakistan have imported 21 MM lbs, up 15% over last year so the demand in the region continues to be robust.

On the kernel side, total shipments are stable. According to data from the California Walnut Board, shelled shipments from September 1st to December 31st totaled 158 MM lbs which is down only 1% versus last year. Germany is posting historically weak numbers on shelled as well as in-shell imports of California walnuts so far this year. Compared to the prior year period, Germany is down 47% or 11.2 MM lbs on shelled California walnuts. Chile may be playing a more significant role in European markets as the Chilean walnut crop grows in size and the origin is better positioned to serve German and other markets.

We work with California’s top walnut packers to supply our customers with Jumbo and Jumbo / Large (J/L) in-shell Chandler, Howard, Hartley, Vina, Tulare, Serr and other varieties. We also provide bleached in-shell walnuts in addition to California shelled product including Chandler and non-Chandler Light Halves & Pieces (LHP) 20%, 40%, 80% and higher based on customer requirements.

Raisins

Bulk California raisin shipments totaled 16K MT in December 2018, which is stable on a month-over-month basis based on data from the Raisin Administrative Committee (RAC).

Export shipments in December were relatively strong at 5.6K packed tons, up 19% compared to the prior month and marked the strongest month of export shipments for the new crop. On the domestic side, December shipments totaled 10.2K, which is down 12% compared to November and 3.5K from domestic shipments of 13.7K in October. So far, from August 1st to December 31st, California Natural Seedless raisin shipments totaled 79K which is 35% lower than last year when shipments totaled 122K over the same period.

We supply all major bulk California raisins including dried-on-the-vine (DOV) and tray-dried Natural Thompson Seedless Selects, Selma Petes, Flames, Goldens, and other varieties in Jumbo, Select, and Midget sizes and welcome your inquiries. We also supply Selma Pete DOV Double-Run Supreme raisins to Japan and elsewhere which are processed twice to achieve exceptionally low stem and capstem counts.

Cranberries

In the Sweet and Dried Cranberry (SDC) markets the tariffs that have created hurdles for some of the other major commodities from the United States have had little effect in slowing China’s growing appetite for these sweet berries. Similarly, Canada and Chile are likely to see increasing demand for cranberries due to the ongoing tariff escalations between the USA and some of its major export markets.

We have seen continued upward pressure on prices for conventional sliced SDCs over the past few months with little relief likely in the near term. SDC producers are very much in the driver’s seat this season with many opting to sell their berries at higher prices than we have seen in a number of years. It seems the supply and demand dynamics that the USDA volume regulation was meant to address may have had some effect in stabilizing the price of sliced Sweetened Dried Cranberries. This more stable market position should keep prices high for the foreseeable future. Next year, if the USDA volume regulation is not needed and the tariff situation between the United States and China becomes more favorable, global demand is likely to still keep pace with global supply for sliced Sweetened Dried Cranberries (SDCs) which will in turn, continue to support higher prices.

We supply Conventional and Organic Whole or Sliced Sweetened Dried Cranberries (SDCs) packed in bulk cases as well as Organic Apple Juice Sweetened varieties. We also work with quarter inch diced and other diced cranberry products available as per client requirement. In addition, we supply 50 Brix and 65 Brix cranberry concentrate shipped in bulk 55 gallon drums.

Almonds

In California almonds, the latest Position Report showed December shipments of 199 MM lbs in 2018 vs. 204 MM lbs in 2017, down approximately 2%. There was an almost 10% decrease between the carry-in as of August 1st compared to last year. Lower carry-in was offset by increased planted acreage which has resulted in a total supply for this crop year that is only down about 1% or 40 million lbs. Total committed shipments in December for exports were notably down about 17% vs last year while domestic committed shipments for December were up 5% compared to last year. Purchasing demand is likely to remain strong for the next few weeks as producers continue to ship and sell the 2019 crop in earnest.

Our most popular almond varieties are Nonpareil, Independence, Butte/Padre, and Carmel types with the most popular grades of Supreme, Extra, Standard 5%, and more.

Other Products

We work with a number of other products so please reach out if you have an inquiry for something you do not see here. We are experts in sourcing bulk food ingredients and welcome the opportunity to work with you on your inquiries. Some of our other product offerings include sunflower seeds, lentils, green peas, freeze dried fruits, popcorn, dried cherries, dried apples, dried blueberries, cherry concentrate, quinoa, dried honey dates, dried cherry tomatoes, dried gojis, dried kiwis, dried strawberries, chickpeas, chia seeds, dried mulberries, almonds, macadamias, pistachios, walnuts, cashews, pine nuts, pecans, brazil nuts, pumpkin seed kernels, melon kernels, hazelnuts, dried prunes, golden raisins, sultanas, dried apricots, sweet apricot kernels, dried black currants, dried figs, dried dates, popcorns, maraschino cherries, dried tomatoes, strawberry pie filling, blueberry pie filling, cherry pie filling, dried mangoes, dried gingers, dried pineapple, and desiccated coconut.

Work With Us As a Supplier

We are always looking to grow our supplier base with companies capable of delivering high quality food ingredients at large volumes. If you are interested, please reach out and introduce yourself.

Organic Cranberry Update

Anderson Exports is a Bulk Ingredients Sourcing Agency in Northern California. We specialize in sourcing the best ingredients from California, Brazil and the rest of the world. Our newsletter delivers actionable market intelligence to inform our clients' purchasing decisions.

Organic Cranberries

Organic sweetened dried cranberries (SDCs) will likely be increasingly attractive to importers with a new organic cranberry price in 2019. Improved supply reliability, low relative price premium to conventional SDCs, and relatively stable pricing make organic cranberries an enticing product category. Organic cranberries are also exempt from the USDA-mandated supply reductions which constrained supply of conventional SDCs. In 2017 the USDA issued a 15% Handler’s Withholding and in 2018 issued a 25% Producer Allotment for U.S. cranberries.

On the supply side, organic cranberry acreage in Quebec, Canada is on the rise.

With record organic acreage in 2018, Quebec produced a record crop of cranberries.

The retail price premium of organic cranberries to conventional non-organic is low compared to the past, making it an opportune time to enter the product category. In recent years, organic prices have at times approached 300% versus conventional SDC prices. At the shelf, many consumers have a tough time justifying such a substantial premium to buy organic. Now, with a bumper crop in 2018, organic prices have softened and the price premium for organic is less than 200% which will entice some customers who otherwise would walk-away. In addition, organic cranberry prices in the last decade have been relatively stable, staying in the relatively tight range of $3.00 - $3.80 / lb. Overall, these price dynamics will likely build downstream demand for cranberries and, at the same time, bulk upstream suppliers and importers will position themselves to capture the opportunity in organic cranberries in 2019.

We supply Conventional and Organic Whole or Sliced Sweetened Dried Cranberries (SDCs) packed in bulk cases as well as Organic Apple Juice Sweetened varieties. We also work with quarter inch diced and other diced cranberry products available as per client requirement. In addition, we supply 50 Brix and 65 Brix cranberry concentrate shipped in bulk 55 gallon drums.

Raisins

2019 California raisin prices are here and we are engaging in spot and long-term forward contracts. Natural Thompson Seedless select raisins from California are known for unrivaled quality and with favorable growing conditions this year, the harvest was successful. With a healthy crop, the California raisin industry is recovering from last year’s crop failure and seeks to re-take market share covered by other origins during the shortages of California material last year.

We supply all major bulk California raisins including dried-on-the-vine (DOV) and tray-dried Natural Thompson Seedless Selects, Selma Petes, Flames, Goldens, and other varieties in Jumbo, Select, and Midget sizes and welcome your inquiries. We also supply Selma Pete DOV Double-Run Supreme raisins to Japan and elsewhere which are processed twice to achieve exceptionally low stem and capstem counts.

Walnuts

Many California packers are off the market for Chandler. Some have already sold-out completely and others are evaluating their sold positions and awaiting the upcoming Walnut Shipment Report before re-entering the market with Chandler walnut prices for 2019. There are numerous reports of a smaller-than-expected Chandler crop this year so the walnut receipts figure will help add clarity to the overall crop size this year. The crop was harvested later than usual this year so the numbers reported so far are partly weaker on a year-over-year basis due to timing. The latest figure currently available showed walnut receipts of 597K tons as of October 31st, 2018 which is up 4.9% from the prior year and up 2.8% from the 3-year average. With the new industry report in-hand later this week, we should be in a better position to assess the state of the California walnut industry.

We work with California’s top walnut packers to supply our customers with Jumbo and Jumbo / Large (J/L) in-shell Chandler, Howard, Hartley, Vina, Tulare, Serr and other varieties. We also provide bleached in-shell walnuts in addition to California shelled product including Chandler and non-Chandler Light Halves & Pieces (LHP) 20%, 40%, 80% and higher based on customer requirements.

Almonds

With the market firming after the latest industry report, some California almond packers are off the market or only offering selectively as they allow the 2019 almond prices to rise.

Our most popular almond varieties are Nonpareil, Independence, Butte/Padre, and Carmel types with the most popular grades of Supreme, Extra, Standard 5%, and more.

Other Products

We work with a number of other products so please reach out if you have an inquiry for something you do not see here. We are experts in sourcing bulk food ingredients and welcome the opportunity to work with you on your inquiries. Some of our other product offerings include sunflower seeds, lentils, green peas, freeze dried fruits, popcorn, dried cherries, dried apples, dried blueberries, cherry concentrate, quinoa, dried honey dates, dried cherry tomatoes, dried gojis, dried kiwis, dried strawberries, chickpeas, chia seeds, dried mulberries, almonds, macadamias, pistachios, walnuts, cashews, pine nuts, pecans, brazil nuts, pumpkin seed kernels, melon kernels, hazelnuts, dried prunes, golden raisins, sultanas, dried apricots, sweet apricot kernels, dried black currants, dried figs, dried dates, popcorns, maraschino cherries, dried tomatoes, strawberry pie filling, blueberry pie filling, cherry pie filling, dried mangoes, dried gingers, dried pineapple, and desiccated coconut.

Work With Us As a Supplier

We are always looking to grow our supplier base with companies capable of delivering high quality food ingredients at large volumes. If you are interested, please reach out and introduce yourself.

Holiday & New Year Update

Anderson Exports is a Bulk Ingredients Sourcing Agency in Northern California. We specialize in sourcing the best ingredients from California, Brazil and the rest of the world. Our newsletter delivers actionable market intelligence to inform our clients' purchasing decisions.

Raisins

Total domestic and export shipments of California raisins were lower than expected in November.

Some suppliers are offering slightly lower pricing in order to facilitate business but the market in general is relatively stable. Some raisin processors are comfortably sold and some even much more strongly than last year at this time. However, other suppliers may have grower payments due or there may be other reasons that could be motivating more competitive pricing in some instances. Even with the weaker than expected total shipments in November, we do not expect a major decrease in price for California raisins. We are not likely to see a drop in price the way we did 2 years ago due to the continued demand from California’s core customers. This is good news for both buyers and sellers as we can expect relatively stable pricing with some packers willing to hold their pricing steady and even raise it after the new year.

Due to a number of issues, including overhanging contracts from last year, there is still likely major demand to be filled for many buyers’ forward needs leading into 2019. Other buyers have been slow to cover, opting buy hand-to-mouth rather than forward contracting. In any case, the next 60 - 90 days will better determine the state of the industry and where California’s crop will be in regards to carry-in for the 2019 season.

Domestic demand for California’s raisins has been strongest for spot and LTL shipments. This domestic demand has been stronger than normal, following the trend of hand-to-mouth purchasing seen in the export markets.

Chile is essentially sold-out of last year’s raisin crop besides some miscellaneous types and sizes. The new Chilean raisin crop is developing well and has benefited from favorable weather. Though early to tell, the total crop is expected to be in the 50K MT range. Prices for the new 2019 Chilean raisin crop should be settled in January & February 2019. South Africa’s new raisin crop is also developing well with estimates for the total crop in the 80K MT range. Turkey is selling out of sultana raisins more rapidly than in prior years. Export shipments, primarily to Europe, have been quite strong in the past few months.

We supply all major bulk California raisins including dried-on-the-vine (DOV) and tray-dried Natural Thompson Seedless Selects, Selma Petes, Flames, Goldens, and other varieties in Jumbo, Select, and Midget sizes and welcome your inquiries. We also supply Selma Pete DOV Double-Run Supreme raisins to Japan and elsewhere which are processed twice to achieve exceptionally low stem and capstem counts.

Walnuts

California walnuts has seen a marked recovery in pricing from the early days of this season’s harvest. For those buyers who were fortunate enough to book their material early, some may have booked contracts for Chandler J/L in-shell walnuts as low as USD $0.75 / lb. These buyers are likely to be quite content not only with the margin on these early contracts, but also with the steady rise in price we have seen over the past few weeks. Business is reportedly being done at much higher levels today. This price stabilization reflects the overall sold position of California walnut packers, with many comfortably sold if not entirely sold out of in-shell Chandler product for this season.

As we approach the end of 2018, many packers will re-evaluate their sold positions after the 1st of the year, re-entering the market at the prices they feel will get their product sold. This will mean pricing will depend on the individual packer and their comfort level with their currently contracted inventory.

We work with California’s top walnut packers to supply our customers with Jumbo and Jumbo / Large (J/L) in-shell Chandler, Howard, Hartley, Vina, Tulare, Serr and other varieties. We also provide bleached in-shell walnuts in addition to California shelled product including Chandler and non-Chandler Light Halves & Pieces (LHP) 20%, 40%, 80% and higher based on customer requirements.

Almonds

Strong demand for almonds was reflected in the latest shipment report for November. Shipments totaled 237.6 million lbs in November, up 4% compared to the prior year period. The market has firmed since the report was published as many suppliers opt to hold off the market while prices creep up rather than sell earlier at lower levels. Shipments to China and Vietnam were quite strong and domestic shipments were stable. Even with larger and larger crops, California almonds continue to post strong shipment numbers--invalidating the possibility of oversupply, at least for the time being.

Our most popular almond varieties are Nonpareil, Independence, Butte/Padre, and Carmel types with the most popular grades of Supreme, Extra, Standard 5%, and more.

Cranberries

As we enter 2019, it seems that uncertainty remains the only constant in the ongoing trade spats between the Trump Administration and China. The current duties total 40% for US product shipped to China. This will have consequences for the New Crop cranberry harvests globally. Tariffs being the primary issue on many buyers’ minds, will push both Chinese and European importers to look to Canada and Chile as their option of first resort. This is good news for Canada and Chile, although their total production will in no way be enough to cover the total demand for these buyers looking to escape the pressure caused by tariffs.

Also adding to the uncertainty surrounding cranberries this year are issues similar to those faced by the raisin industry in that there are still a number of overhanging contracts from the previous year at last year’s prices. All of this adds up to current pricing that is likely to remain high for the foreseeable future, with buyers likely to purchase the non-USA fruit from Canada and Chile rather quickly. This will leave the remaining global demand to be purchased hand-to-mouth until buyers feel confident enough in the stability of pricing and/or tariffs to jump back into the market for forward contracts.

We supply Conventional and Organic Whole, Sliced, or Diced Sweetened Dried Cranberries (SDCs) packed in bulk cases as well as 50 Brix and 65 Brix cranberry concentrate shipped in bulk 55 gallon drums.

Other Products

We work with a number of other products so please reach out if you have an inquiry for something you do not see here. We are experts in sourcing bulk food ingredients and welcome the opportunity to work with you on your inquiries. Some of our other product offerings include sunflower seeds, lentils, green peas, freeze dried fruits, popcorn, dried cherries, dried apples, dried blueberries, cherry concentrate, quinoa, dried honey dates, dried cherry tomatoes, dried gojis, dried kiwis, dried strawberries, chickpeas, chia seeds, dried mulberries, almonds, macadamias, pistachios, walnuts, cashews, pine nuts, pecans, brazil nuts, pumpkin seed kernels, melon kernels, hazelnuts, dried prunes, golden raisins, sultanas, dried apricots, sweet apricot kernels, dried black currants, dried figs, dried dates, popcorns, maraschino cherries, dried tomatoes, strawberry pie filling, blueberry pie filling, cherry pie filling, dried mangoes, dried gingers, dried pineapple, and desiccated coconut.

Work With Us As a Supplier

We are always looking to grow our supplier base with companies capable of delivering high quality food ingredients at large volumes. If you are interested, please reach out and introduce yourself.

We welcome your inquiries and look forward to working together to deliver you the highest quality ingredients from the world's best suppliers. We are available to our suppliers and buyers 24/7 over email, phone, or WhatsApp.

California Walnut Update

Anderson Exports is a Bulk Ingredients Sourcing Agency in Northern California. We specialize in sourcing the best ingredients from California, Brazil and the rest of the world. Our newsletter delivers actionable market intelligence to inform our clients' purchasing decisions.

Walnuts

California in-shell walnut shipments are off to a slow start compared to prior years. Total in-shell walnut shipments in September and October are down (24%) versus last year and (36%) versus the 3-year average according to data from the California Walnut Board. The later harvest is certainly contributing to the lower shipments seen in September and October of this year.

However, even with the later harvest, lower year-over-year shipments to all but one of California’s top export markets suggest many buyers have been seriously apprehensive and slow to book.

The top markets receiving considerably less in-shell tonnage so far this year compared to last include Turkey (7.7 MM lbs), Vietnam (5.6), China + Hong Kong (5.2), and the U.A.E (3.8). Turkey’s geopolitical uneasiness and currency volatility are probably weighing on imports. In China, the uncertain trade tariff environment is playing a major role. in Vietnam, perhaps the transshipment / smuggling crackdowns are really making an impact, though it is hard to be certain.

Pakistan, the only top 10 destination market with a year-over-year increase in shipments, is picking up tonnage only due to low import duties compared to India.

Since India’s tariffs make importing California walnuts so expensive, regional importers have adjusted their routes accordingly. When taken together, the shipment numbers for Pakistan and India bring some positive news: regional demand for California walnuts is strong, with combined shipments so far this year up 38% or 1.9 MM lbs compared to the prior year period.

As of October 31st 2018, walnut receipts as reported by handlers totaled 597K tons, up 4.9% from the prior year and up 2.8% from the 3-year average. Based on these figures, the crop is coming in about normal. We continue to hear reports of the Chandler crop coming in a bit short with some handlers off the market and others totally sold out of Chandler.

Domestic shipments of shelled California walnuts in September & October of 2018 were up 16% compared to the prior year period while export shipments were down (12%). Total shipments of shelled walnuts were about flat compared to the prior year period. The U.S. and Spain are posting strong shipments so far this year, up 16% and 44%, respectively. So far this year, shipments to South Korea totaled 4.3 MM lbs, up 38% compared to last year and up 41% on the 3-year average. Shipments to Germany in September & October of 2018 totaled only 2.4 MM lbs, down severely from ‘17 / ‘18 and ‘16 / ‘17 when the country imported 12.6 MM and 9.2 MM lbs, respectively.

We work with California’s top walnut packers to supply our customers with Jumbo and Jumbo / Large (J/L) in-shell Chandler, Howard, Hartley, Vina, Tulare, Serr and other varieties. We also provide bleached in-shell walnuts in addition to California shelled product including Chandler and non-Chandler Light Halves & Pieces (LHP) 20%, 40%, 80% and higher based on customer requirements.

Raisins

Exports of California Natural Thompson Seedless (NTS) raisins are starting to recover with the start of new crop shipments in October. Based on data from the Raisin Administrative Committee (RAC), exports increased by 84% or 2,449 packed tons from September to October, narrowing the year-over-year difference in exports from (59%) to (31%).

As shipment numbers continue to ramp in November and December, we expect some of the more cautious “wait-and-see” buyers to enter the market to cover their forward needs.

We supply all major bulk California raisins including dried-on-the-vine (DOV) and tray-dried Natural Thompson Seedless Selects, Selma Petes, Flames, Goldens, and other varieties in Jumbo, Select, and Midget sizes and welcome your inquiries. We also supply Selma Pete DOV Double-Run Supreme raisins to Japan and elsewhere which are processed twice to achieve exceptionally low stem and capstem counts.

Cranberries

The market for bulk Sweetened Dried Cranberries (SDCs) remains tight and little has changed in the last few weeks. Early reports indicate smaller-than-expected crops from Wisconsin and Massachusetts, though the full extent remains to be seen. The 25% Handler Withholding (supply reduction) also passed, which will further perpetuate availability challenges and put upward pressure on 2019 SDC prices. We expect pricing to settle in Q1 2019, perhaps at levels slightly higher than present, as we did last year.

We supply Conventional and Organic Whole or Sweetened Dried Cranberries (SDCs) packed in bulk cases as well as 50 Brix and 65 Brix cranberry concentrate shipped in bulk 55 gallon drums.

Other Products

We work with a number of other products so please reach out if you have an inquiry for something you do not see here. We are experts in sourcing bulk food ingredients and welcome the opportunity to work with you on your inquiries. Some of our other product offerings include sunflower seeds, lentils, green peas, freeze dried fruits, popcorn, dried cherries, dried apples, dried blueberries, cherry concentrate, quinoa, dried honey dates, dried cherry tomatoes, dried gojis, dried kiwis, dried strawberries, chickpeas, chia seeds, dried mulberries, almonds, macadamias, pistachios, walnuts, cashews, pine nuts, pecans, brazil nuts, pumpkin seed kernels, melon kernels, hazelnuts, dried prunes, golden raisins, sultanas, dried apricots, sweet apricot kernels, dried black currants, dried figs, dried dates, popcorns, maraschino cherries, dried tomatoes, strawberry pie filling, blueberry pie filling, cherry pie filling, dried mangoes, dried gingers, dried pineapple, and desiccated coconut.

Work With Us As a Supplier

We are always looking to grow our supplier base with companies capable of delivering high quality food ingredients at large volumes. If you are interested, please reach out and introduce yourself.

We welcome your inquiries and look forward to working together to deliver you the highest quality ingredients from the world's best suppliers. We are available to our suppliers and buyers 24/7 over email, phone, or WhatsApp.

Mid-Harvest Update 2018

Anderson Exports is a Bulk Ingredients Sourcing Agency in Northern California. We specialize in sourcing the best ingredients from California, Brazil and the rest of the world. Our newsletter delivers actionable market intelligence to inform our clients' purchasing decisions.

Raisins

The 2018 California raisin crop continues to come in from the vines to processors and the quality of the fruit is excellent. Leading into the holiday season and Lunar New Years, we are seeing strong demand as many customers look to fulfill their needs before these important holidays. Robust demand from Asia and elsewhere has continued to support California’s new crop raisin pricing.

Bulk California Raisin Price.JPG

We currently have a special price through the end of December 2018 on bulk California Thompson Select raisins. We are also now offering forward contracts for up to 12 months (1+ x 20’ FCL / month) for January 2019 - December 2019. We can also offer extremely attractive pricing on contracts of 25 / 50 / 100+ x 20’ FCL orders.

There are reports of a shorter-than-expected crop of Medium Flame raisins this year. There will be relatively more Jumbo Flames available and prices for Medium Flames will reflect the relative shortage though the overall extent remains to be seen.

We supply all major bulk California raisins including dried-on-the-vine (DOV) and tray-dried Natural Thompson Seedless Selects, Selma Petes, Flames, Goldens, and other varieties in Jumbo, Select, and Midget sizes and welcome your inquiries. We also supply Selma Pete DOV Double-Run Supreme raisins to Japan and elsewhere which are processed twice to achieve exceptionally low stem and capstem counts. We also carry raisin paste & puree made from USDA Grade A raisins.

Cranberries

The market for Sweetened Dried Cranberries (SDCs) continues to be tight and will likely remain so for some time as reports from the bogs in Massachusetts and Wisconsin re-affirm the possibility of a smaller-than-expected new cranberry crop. Perpetuating the problem of short supply is the 25% Handler Withholding which was passed by the USDA recently. Overall, demand exceeds supply of SDCs. Some suppliers have already run out of fruit to sell or are projected to be sold out in a matter of months. Others processors have production schedules which are fully booked which reinforces the challenge of availability for SDC customers. The new SDC crop will become available for shipment around the end of December and early January.

In order to help our clients overcome the availability challenges with SDCs, we are currently offering 12 month contracts (1+ FCL / month) for 2019 as well as spot shipments available before the end of 2018. We can also offer compelling pricing on contracts of 25 / 50 / 100+ FCL orders.

We supply Conventional and Organic Whole or Sweetened Dried Cranberries (SDCs) packed in bulk cases as well as 50 Brix and 65 Brix cranberry concentrate shipped in bulk 55 gallon drums. We also offer organic apple juice infused sweetened dried cranberries packed in bulk poly-lined cartons.

Walnuts

In California, the Chandler crop is coming in shorter than expected. Though the extent is yet to be seen, the Northern region is thought to be more negatively impacted compared to other walnut growing regions in California. The quality of the California walnut crop as can be seen in the photos of the Chandler in-shell and kernel material below.

We work with California’s top walnut packers to supply our customers with Jumbo and Jumbo / Large (J/L) in-shell Chandler, Howard, Hartley, Vina, Tulare, Serr and other varieties. We also provide bleached in-shell walnuts in addition to California shelled product including Chandler and non-Chandler Light Halves & Pieces (LHP) 20%, 40%, 80% and higher based on customer requirements.

Almonds

The latest shipment report from the Almond Board of California showed October shipments of 247.1 million lbs vs. 246.5 mm lbs in 2017. Given the delayed harvest and buyer apprehension due to the uncertain tariff environment, stable year-over-year in October shipments came as positive news. The harvest is now complete and in-shell exports and shelling & processing are underway. Expectations for the total almond crop size are in the 2.3 - 2.45 billion range. The nonpareil crop is coming in a bit shorter than expected.

Our most popular almond varieties are Nonpareil, Independence, Butte/Padre, and Carmel types with the most popular grades of Supreme, Extra, Standard 5%, and more.

Pistachios

California pistachios are on track for one of the largest crops in history. During the springtime, there was a great bloom in which both young and old trees looked full of nuts. Later in the season, the lack of chill hours for the pistachio trees became a major concern for the industry. Many were worried that the lack of chill hours would cause a repeat of the 2015 crop when male and female trees did not sync up during blooming. However, the chill hours actually benefited the trees this year and the synchronization between the male and female trees was right on. Following this period, a tremendous amount of rain fell which further fueled the pistachio trees during the important spring growth period.

These positive developments have bolstered the case for a larger pistachio crop in California this year. Estimates for the total crop size started in the 700 million pound range but based on how the crop is now looking, the number may actually be in the 800 - 950 mm pound range. It remains to be seen whether the new crop will beat out 2016, when the crop totaled approx 905 mm pounds, as the largest crop on record.

We supply both in-shell, kernel, and US Ex. #1 21-25, 21-26, and 21-27 pistachios.

Pecans

There is some concern on the demand side for pecans since China is a major buyer of U.S. pecans. The tariff situation continues hang over the market as crop damage from weather are assessed in Georgia. Quality is good and seasonal purchasing activity is picking up.

We supply Fancy Junior Mammoth Halves (FJMH), Fancy Mammoth Halves, Fancy Pieces, and other sizes / types for all major U.S. pecan varieties.

Other Products

We work with a number of other products so please reach out if you have an inquiry for something you do not see here. We are experts in sourcing bulk food ingredients and welcome the opportunity to work with you on your inquiries. Some of our other product offerings include sunflower seeds, lentils, green peas, freeze dried fruits, popcorn, dried cherries, dried apples, dried blueberries, cherry concentrate, quinoa, dried honey dates, dried cherry tomatoes, dried gojis, dried kiwis, dried strawberries, chickpeas, chia seeds, dried mulberries, almonds, macadamias, pistachios, walnuts, cashews, pine nuts, pecans, brazil nuts, pumpkin seed kernels, melon kernels, hazelnuts, dried prunes, golden raisins, sultanas, dried apricots, sweet apricot kernels, dried black currants, dried figs, dried dates, popcorns, maraschino cherries, dried tomatoes, strawberry pie filling, blueberry pie filling, cherry pie filling, dried mangoes, dried gingers, dried pineapple, and desiccated coconut.

Work With Us As a Supplier

We are always looking to grow our supplier base with companies capable of delivering high quality food ingredients at large volumes. If you are interested, please reach out and introduce yourself.

Bulk California Raisin Update

Anderson Exports is a Bulk Ingredients Sourcing Agency in Northern California. We specialize in sourcing the best ingredients from California, Brazil and the rest of the world. Our newsletter delivers actionable market intelligence to inform our clients' purchasing decisions.

Bulk California Raisins, Natural Thompson Seedless Raisins.PNG

Raisins

Bulk Natural Thompson Seedless raisins and other California raisins are now being packed and shipped from the new crop. We have seen stable prices in recent weeks thanks to a robust California Thompson Seedless Select (NTS) raisin crop with exceptional quality. Compared to this time last year, there were no major rain events during the most important parts of the raisin harvest in California this year. We have seen strong demand from Japan and the APEC countries as we enter the Lunar New Year purchasing period. Although there remains strong demand in much of the APEC region, Chinese buyers are notably hesitant to jump into the market at current prices due, in large part, to anxiety created by the ongoing US / China Trade War.

As for quality, early reports from the fields indicate a robust and delicious 2018 raisin crop; in stark contrast to the innumerable quality issues faced by buyers and suppliers during the 2017 / 2018 harvest season. Many suppliers who make Jumbo and Select size Golden raisins are reporting a shortage of Jumbo Sizes with many unable to offer Jumbo Golden raisins at this time. California’s crop of Jumbo and Select (Medium) Flames looks to be of excellent quality with an average number of Jumbo and Select (Medium) Flame raisin sizes. Prices for California Flame raisins in 2018 are higher than last year thanks to the steadily growing global demand for this delicious raisin. The Raisin Bargaining Administration (RBA) and it’s eleven signatory packers have agreed to a one year price per ton. This will not have much effect on pricing at this stage in the harvest since most packers have already been shipping raisins from the 2018 crop.

We supply all major bulk California raisins including dried-on-the-vine (DOV) and tray-dried Natural Thompson Seedless Selects, Selma Petes, Flames, Goldens, and other varieties in Jumbo, Select, and Midget sizes and welcome your inquiries. We also supply Selma Pete DOV Double-Run Supreme raisins to Japan and elsewhere which are processed twice to achieve exceptionally low stem and capstem counts.

Walnuts

The biggest news in California walnuts this week is the continuous flow of reports from suppliers indicating a shorter than expected Chandler crop in 2018. Suppliers around the state of California are reporting that the Chandler walnut crop is down, especially in the north, where some estimate the crop to be down 10 - 15% compared to last year.

California Chandler Jumbo.JPG

In addition to this shorter crop, many suppliers are observing that Chandler walnuts in general are seeing lower average meat-yields compared to both last year and the 10-year average.

California Chandler LMP.JPG

These new revelations will no doubt affect the prices moving forward for in-shell Chandler walnuts. The impact of the shorter Chandler crop, coupled with the lower-than-average meat-yields will remain to be seen as the season progresses. Lower average meat-yields may motivate suppliers to crack out more of their Chandlers, as they can control the final product with high-tech sorting far more than for raw in-shell. The news is not all bad for Chandler walnuts though, the product that has been received from the fields, despite the lower meat-yields, is a gorgeous light milky off-white color.

Many suppliers are reporting good light color and average meat-yields for in-shell Howard walnuts for the 2018 crop. Howards are harvested earlier than Chandler and on average have a higher meat-yield. This makes it a good alternative to Chandler for those buyers who require higher average meat-yields at a more competitive price.

We work with California’s top walnut packers to supply our customers with Jumbo and Jumbo / Large (J/L) in-shell Chandler, Howard, Hartley, Vina, Tulare, Serr and other varieties. We also provide bleached in-shell walnuts in addition to California shelled product including Chandler and non-Chandler Light Halves & Pieces (LHP) 20%, 40%, 80% and higher based on customer requirements.

Cranberries

News from the bogs continues to affirm the possibility of a smaller than expected new cranberry crop. Wisconsin cranberry production is expected to be down and there are some concerns about rot in Massachusetts. Though it is still early to tell, the decrease compared to last year may be in the 12 - 18% range.

Sliced SDC Price.PNG

Since the cranberry market is already tight on fruit, lower new production may compound the already widespread shortages in the market for Sweetened Dried Cranberries (SDCs). There is also the wildcard of the 25% Producer Allotment (supply reduction) still in play since the USDA has yet to approve the proposal. Current lead times on Whole and Sliced SDCs remain long and prompt shipment loads are few and far between. Given these conditions, we anticipate firm prices with modest increases throughout the year for SDCs.

We supply Conventional and Organic Whole or Sweetened Dried Cranberries (SDCs) packed in bulk cases as well as 50 Brix and 65 Brix cranberry concentrate shipped in bulk 55 gallon drums.

Pistachios

The new California pistachio crop looks excellent though we are seeing size ranges widen as suppliers work to accommodate to the smaller than average nut size coming out of the fields. We are seeing offers on US Ex. #1 21-25 as a 21-26 or even 21-27. The demand for California pistachios dwarfs the supply so we expect tight availability and firm pricing in the year ahead. California is also in an advantaged export position this year relative to Iran due to Trump’s regime of sanctions on the country and the campaign to make it harder to do business with Iran’s counter-parties. Overall, California’s pistachios will be highly sought after so buyers would be prudent to engage early to secure their forward needs.

We are now supplying new crop in-shell and shelled pistachios of all major types and sizes.

Dried Apples

China’s apple crop is experiencing major disruption due to crop failure and regulators shutting down apple production facilities due to environmental concerns. We have heard estimates of a crop reduction in the 30 - 35% range and prices are reacting accordingly. Disruptive ripples are flowing downstream to importers who are understandably concerned about how securely their forward apple needs are covered. Some Chinese suppliers are unable to fulfill contracts and others are opting to re-negotiate. Suppliers who will offer may be hesitate to lock a price for 12 months given the volatility.

We are engaging new clients of dehydrated apple dices in the wake of these supply disruptions and are eager to supply dehydrated apple dices with or without sulphur dioxide (SO2) from our BRC supplier in China as well as our suppliers in South America this year. Supply of dehydrated apple dices from South America will not be available until April / May 2019 when the new crop is processed and ready for export. We supply with Granny Smith, Red Delicious and other varieties in dices / cubes of 5 x 5 x 5MM, 10 x 10 x 10MM and other sizes upon request.

Pecans

We supply Fancy Junior Mammoth Halves (FJMH), Fancy Mammoth Halves, Fancy Pieces, and other sizes / types for all major U.S. pecan varieties.

Other Products

HONEY (HN 80) - Wildflower Multifloral Bee’s Honey & Honey Powder

100% pure liquid honey (HN 80) Is obtained from the Western Honey Bee (Apis Mellifera) in the region of Campeche, Mexico. This region is recognized worldwide because of the high quality honey that is produced there with flavor that comes from the region’s endemic wildflowers.

COCONUT SUGAR - Organic and Conventional Natural Sweeteners

We have both organic and conventional coconut sugar. Our suppliers of organic coconut sugar are renowned for a product with 99% purity (checked by carbon isotope analyzer). Our suppliers are fully certified, halal, kosher, fssc and USDA organic. We can also supply other coconut products, like coconut water, coconut water powder, coconut milk, coconut milk powder & more.

We work with a number of other products so please reach out if you have an inquiry for something you do not see here. We are experts in sourcing bulk food ingredients and welcome the opportunity to work with you on your inquiries. Some of our other product offerings include sunflower seeds, lentils, green peas, freeze dried fruits, popcorn, dried cherries, dried apples, dried blueberries, cherry concentrate, quinoa, dried honey dates, dried cherry tomatoes, dried gojis, dried kiwis, dried strawberries, chickpeas, chia seeds, dried mulberries, almonds, macadamias, pistachios, walnuts, cashews, pine nuts, pecans, brazil nuts, pumpkin seed kernels, melon kernels, hazelnuts, dried prunes, golden raisins, sultanas, dried apricots, sweet apricot kernels, dried black currants, dried figs, dried dates, popcorns, maraschino cherries, dried tomatoes, strawberry pie filling, blueberry pie filling, cherry pie filling, dried mangoes, dried gingers, dried pineapple, and desiccated coconut.

Work With Us As a Supplier

We are always looking to grow our supplier base with companies capable of delivering high quality food ingredients at large volumes. If you are interested, please reach out and introduce yourself.

We welcome your inquiries and look forward to working together to deliver you the highest quality ingredients from the world's best suppliers. We are available to our suppliers and buyers 24/7 over email, phone, or WhatsApp.

California Raisin & Nut Updates

Anderson Exports is a Bulk Ingredients Sourcing Agency in Northern California. We specialize in sourcing the best ingredients from California, Brazil and the rest of the world. Our newsletter delivers actionable market intelligence to inform our clients' purchasing decisions.

Almonds

Purchasing commitments for almonds are occurring at a slower pace compared to last year. According to the latest Almond Position Report, domestic and export commitments totaled 164 million lbs by the end of September, about 23% behind the prior year period.

Almond price 2018.PNG

Due to the uncertain trade climate, many buyers have been covering their almond needs on a hand-to-mouth basis rather than extending high volume contracts long into the future. We are seeing weaker demand from China, Turkey, the UAE, and the EU in particular. Another driver of lower shipments may be related to the early season frost, which caused many suppliers to pull off the market and only offer limited amounts while the impacts were assessed.

The Nonpareil crop is thought to be shorter than expected. Amid these early reports of a smaller crop, the market was sloppy for some time, with a wide spread of pricing. More recently, prices have demonstrated some stability.

Our most popular almond varieties are Nonpareil, Independence, Butte/Padre, and Carmel types with the most popular grades of Supreme, Extra, Standard 5%, and more.

Raisins

California raisin prices are stable and the new 2018 crop shipments are starting. Foreign importers are especially keen to receive the first shipments of the new California Thompson raisins. Export shipments of Natural Thompson Seedless raisins have been much lower than normal this year. The latest October figures showed export shipments down by 59% compared to the prior year, according to data from the Raisin Administrative Committee (RAC).

These shipment figures show that there may be some pent-up or “overhanging” demand, as some customers who made contracts with California packers last year did not receive the total number of containers they had contracted due to the historic shortages faced this past year in California. This means there are some buyers who will be receiving the first shipments of the 2018 crop at last year’s prices, on last year’s contracts. We see the likely primary drivers of this year’s price as consistent demand, historically low carry-in levels (approx. 70,000 MT), and the premium California’s global customer base is willing to pay for what are widely known as the world’s best raisins.

California thompson raisin price 2018 (1).PNG

We supply all major bulk California raisins including dried-on-the-vine (DOV) and tray-dried Thompson Seedless Selects, Selma Petes, Flames, Goldens, and other varieties in Jumbo, Select, and Midget sizes and welcome your inquiries.

South Africa is almost completely sold out of the 2018 crop. New crop is expected to begin being harvested during the first quarter of 2019. South Africa has been increasing its tonnage year-over-year for some time now. We recently met with one of our large South African raisin suppliers and were informed that South Africa is estimated to produce around 70,000 MT of raisins this year. Much of this tonnage will go to Europe with another increasing portion of the crop going to to buyers in China.

Our suppliers have also reported a large number of new plantings for the Selma Pete, DOV variety of raisins. This is a similar trend seen in California’s Central Valley, as many suppliers are either transitioning older vines or planting new vineyards with the Selma Pete variety. South Africa and California are so focused on this variety because Selma Pete is reported to not only produce a sweeter raisin than a Thompson, but also a larger total volume of final product with 69% higher than average “B or Better” (B&B) numbers.

Chile is essentially sold out for their 2018 crop, with new crop expected to begin its harvest, like South Africa, in the first quarter of 2019. Many of our suppliers in Chile are reporting that they are completely sold out of dark raisins from 2018, with only some small quantities of Golden raisins still available to ship. Due to the large uncertainties surrounding the Trump Administration’s tariff wars globally, we saw many Chinese buyers and other affected markets transition from filling their needs with California raisins to Chilean product. While it may be tempting to source from Chile due to the lower prices and favorable free trade agreements, the overall quality lags behind that found in California. This is because Chilean raisins are made from grapes rejected by the table grape industry while California raisins are made from fresh grapes grown expressly to be dried into raisins.

Walnuts

The California walnut harvest is underway. With many early varieties almost fully in and off the trees. The season began with much apprehension from sellers, opening at some of the lowest levels seen in many years. This caused buyers to wait, and wait, and wait. Buyers staying off the market early this season brought pricing levels for in-shell walnuts down early this year as compared to previous years. Many suppliers were offering Chandler J/L under USD $1.00 / lb. CIF. We advised buyers to jump in at these historically low levels. Despite this advice, many buyers opted to continue to wait. Instead of seizing on the opportunity to book fantastic quality material at incredible pricing, many buyers thought it prudent to focus on haggling over 1 or 2 cents per lb and in fact MISSED these low prices entirely!

The most recent news from our suppliers in the Linden area, and elsewhere in California, is that the Chandler crop may be much smaller than first projected. This is causing many of the largest suppliers to hold off the market to determine how much smaller this year’s Chandler crop is before re-entering the market with what will likely be higher pricing.

The popular early varieties of Howards and Hartleys have been shipping, with reports from the orchards of higher than average meat yields for Howards, with little to no tip-shrivel. This is good news for customers who buy in-shell products from California.

The California Walnut Board’s Monthly Management Report details shipment figures for September 2018 show lower in-shell shipments than at this time last year. The weaker in-shell shipment figures for September may be evidence of buyers’ early apprehension, as outlined above. However, these weaker numbers could also be due to environmental issues, as growers are reporting that this year’s Chandler crop matured a few weeks later than previous years, which would also delay shipments in a material way.

As the newest chandler numbers become more widely available this fall, the industry will get a better idea of the total tonnage they actually have to sell. It is hard to say when California suppliers will again be offering in-shell Chandler walnuts, but when sellers do come back into the market, It is unlikely we will see in-shell pricing anywhere near the low opening levels of this season.

We work with California’s top walnut packers to supply our customers with Jumbo and Jumbo / Large (J/L) in-shell Chandler, Howard, Hartley, Vina, Tulare, Serr and other varieties. We also supply California shelled product including Chandler and non-Chandler Light Halves & Pieces (LHP) 20%, 40%, 80% and higher based on customer requirements.

Cranberries

Early reports suggest the new cranberry crop may not be as strong as expected earlier in the year. In Wisconsin, cranberry production is thought to be down compared to last year and in Massachusetts, there are some concerns about rot. Though the extent of impact remains to be seen, the prospect of tight supply again in the year ahead seems likely. The harvest was also a bit delayed this year--extending the period in which sweetened dried cranberries (SDCs) are hard to come by -- and, when found, come at high prices.

There will be a few more weeks until firm pricing is available widely for 2019 cranberry prices. With the 2018 cranberry crop effectively sold-out, SDCs may become more expensive in the year ahead. While prices may rise further, the increases should be more modest than the 30-40% increases observed in this past year. SDC pricing in 2019 has yet to fully take shape so we’ll have to wait and see. Given the issues with prompt availability, we continue to advise early planning and action on sweet and dried cranberry procurement and we welcome your inquiries.

Details of the Handler Withholding also indicate that the impact on SDC pricing may be somewhat mitigated since producers have the option to dispose of as much as half of the restriction in the form of concentrate, rather than SDCs. The disposed fruit must originate from the current crop year. The 15% Handler Withholding for the 2017 crop proposed by the Cranberry Marketing Committee (CMC) was approved by the USDA. However, the decision remains unknown for the 2018 Producer Allotment which would mandate a 25% disposal of cranberries. If the next Handler Withholding passes, supplies would surely tighten and firm-up prices for SDCs. Together, the potential for a weaker-than-expected new cranberry crop and the passing of the 2018 Handler Withholding are key catalysts for supply tightness and firmer prices going forward.

We supply Conventional and Organic Whole or Sweetened Dried Cranberries (SDCs) packed in bulk cases as well as 50 Brix and 65 Brix cranberry concentrate shipped in bulk 55 gallon drums.

Pistachios

The Pistachio harvest is underway in California with the first reports from processors describing a crop that has a smaller nut size, on average, than last year. For comparison, one of the most common sizes of California pistachios, the US Extra #1 21-25, has had its sizing range extended to account for the smaller average nut sizes seen as the crop is received from the fields. This means many pistachio sellers are currently offering their US Ex. #1 21-25 as a 21-26 or even 21-27. Pricing for pistachios will likely remain firm in the year ahead due to the very strong global demand and relatively small and highly concentrated supply.

Pecans

There have been early reports of hurricane damage, although the full extent of the damage remains to be seen. The harvest is beginning in much of the southern United States, with many sellers positive about a good quality crop.

We supply Fancy Junior Mammoth Halves (FJMH), Fancy Mammoth Halves, Fancy Pieces, and other sizes / types for all major U.S. pecan varieties.

Other Products

We work with a number of other products so please reach out if you have an inquiry for something you do not see here. We are experts in sourcing bulk food ingredients and welcome the opportunity to work with you on your inquiries. Some of our other product offerings include sunflower seeds, lentils, green peas, freeze dried fruits, popcorn, dried cherries, dried apples, dried blueberries, cherry concentrate, quinoa, dried honey dates, dried cherry tomatoes, dried gojis, dried kiwis, dried strawberries, chickpeas, chia seeds, dried mulberries, almonds, macadamias, pistachios, walnuts, cashews, pine nuts, pecans, brazil nuts, pumpkin seed kernels, melon kernels, hazelnuts, dried prunes, golden raisins, sultanas, dried apricots, sweet apricot kernels, dried black currants, dried figs, dried dates, popcorns, maraschino cherries, dried tomatoes, strawberry pie filling, blueberry pie filling, cherry pie filling, dried mangoes, dried gingers, dried pineapple, and desiccated coconut.

Work With Us As a Supplier

We are always looking to grow our supplier base with companies capable of delivering continuous high quality product at large volumes. If you are interested, please reach out and introduce yourself.

We welcome your inquiries and look forward to working together to deliver you the highest quality ingredients from the world's best suppliers. We are available to our suppliers and buyers 24/7 over email, phone, or WhatsApp.

California Harvest Update

Anderson Exports is a Bulk Ingredients Sourcing Agency in Northern California. We specialize in sourcing the best ingredients from California, Brazil and the rest of the world. Our newsletter delivers actionable market intelligence to inform our clients' purchasing decisions.

Raisins

California raisin prices are stable for the new 2018 crop and forward contracting is underway. Buyers are finding some relief in the relatively lower prices compared to the higher prices for last year’s short and rain-damaged crop. Foreign buyers are also eager to renew California raisin shipments to their markets. Export shipments of California Natural Seedless raisins were down 59% in August compared to the prior year, according to data from the Raisin Administrative Committee (RAC).

Raisin Prices 2018.PNG

Weather has been favorable and quality is expected to be strong for California raisins this year, avoiding the quality issues and short supply experienced last year due to rains during the harvest. We anticipate shipment volumes to recover to normal levels in the coming months since much-anticipated new crop shipments will begin this month.

We expect the total supply of California raisins to be approximately 335K MT, consisting of ~260K MT from 2018 production and ~75K MT from 2017 carry-over.

California thompson raisin price 2018.PNG

While production recovered compared to last year, total supply is relatively unchanged due to the lower carry-in. The carry-in to 2018 is only ~75K MT, which is 44% lower than the 5-year average carry-in for California Natural Seedless Select raisins. As much as 50K MT of the industry carry-over may be held by Sun-Maid and destined for retail, not bulk raisin export markets. Planted raisin acreage is also in a state of steady decline due to raisin vine pull-outs as farmers plant walnuts, almonds, and other crops.

We have seen exceptional quality from California’s new raisin crop as early loads come in from the fields. In 2019, we expect Asia to continue to displace Europe as the world’s largest export market and Japan to be the largest importing country. Asia has a growing middle-class consumer base which has increasingly more access to, and ability to pay for, imported California raisins. Increasing penetration of e-grocers will not only educate consumers about California raisins, but also introduce California raisins to ever larger consumer audiences in Asia. We have seen our strongest demand for California raisins from our own customers in Japan, China, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines.

We supply all major bulk California raisins including dried-on-the-vine (DOV) and tray-dried Thompson Seedless Selects, Selma Petes, Flames, Goldens, and other varieties in Jumbo, Select, and Midget sizes.

Walnuts

Amid weaker prices and record global supply, California walnut handlers face a challenging year ahead. The graphic below illustrates the growing production and acreage of the California walnut industry, based on data from the USDA.

california chandler walnut howard tulare vina serr jumbo large (1).PNG

Walnut acreage in California and in other regions is on the rise. California anticipates a crop of 690K Short Tons, which is an all-time record. Chile will have carry-in for the first time ever. China also continues to grow a massive crop in the range of 800K MT, which is consumed domestically. Growth in the supply of walnuts is increasing due to production increases in California, China, Chile, and in the Baltics.

Contracting volume early this year is especially important for California’s in-shell-only packers since they do not have the ability to crack their walnuts themselves. In-shell-only packers who miss the inshell selling season this year because they “want to hold off the market and wait for prices to come up” or “protect their brand” will find themselves in a dire situation if prices remain weak.

There is a silver lining here: an extended period of lower prices and growing supply may build up new destination markets for California walnuts. As prices come down, previously inaccessible markets will be opened and new consumers will be introduced to California walnuts as a delicious and nutritious ingredient. Introducing new consumers to California walnuts will in turn increase the overall demand. Increasing overall demand will ultimately help to rebalance the oversupply and buoy prices.

All varieties are coming in slightly later than expected this harvest season. Some growers and packers are seeing a slight increase in edible yield due to a general lack of tip-shrivel. Howard, Hartley, and other early varieties are being received now, with the expectation that first receipts of Chandler will begin to come in off the trees this week or next.

Please let us know if you have a current need, or would like to book forward contracts for, Jumbo and Jumbo / Large (J/L) inshell Chandler, Howard, Hartley, Vina, Tulare, Serr or any other California walnut varieties. Many customers have also booked contracts for Chandler and Non-Chandler LHP 20%, 40%, 80%+, and more. We can also provide Bleaching for inshell products and vacuum-packing or nitrogen pillow-packing for shelled products.

Cranberries

In preparation for the 2018 cranberry harvest season we visited Wisconsin, the largest production region of cranberries in the U.S. The weather has been favorable and the crop is coming along nicely. With cool evening temperatures and warm humid days this summer, our Wisconsin growers are reporting excellent sugar maturation leading up to this year’s harvest.

Supply remains tight due to shortages of sweetened dried cranberries (SDCs) due to last year’s small cranberry crops in the U.S. and Canada. Lead times remain long and material for prompt shipment is increasingly hard to find with most packers holding off the market or offering at premium prices for forward shipment, if at all. The industry still awaits the USDA’s volume regulation decision, which may further constrain supply. Some packers will have periodic availability for prompt shipment although most will only be booking for shipment in 2019.

Our visits to Wisconsin cranberry bogs and the processing facilities for whole and sliced SDCs can be seen in the graphic below. During this trip, we gained further insight into the mechanics of SDC production. We highlight below the key methods and processes involved in bringing you the world’s best quality sweetened dried cranberries.

The cranberry harvest occurs in the late fall months, after which cranberries are frozen prior to processing into the first SDCs available for shipment in December 2018 or January 2019, depending on the packer.

cranberry prices 2018.PNG

New crop cranberry shipments, unlike almost every other dried fruit or nut product, DO NOT begin promptly after the receipt of the new crop cranberry harvest. In fact, once harvested, cranberries are first put into cold storage where they are left to freeze solid over several months. The freezing process prepares the fruit for eventual SDC production. All freshly manufactured SDCs are made from fruit that has been frozen for at least several months. “New Crop” for SDCs is therefore somewhat of a misnomer as all SDC products are processed exclusively from frozen fruit and this freezing process takes many months. Once a new lot of SDCs is produced, the product typically has a stable shelf-life of 24 months.

Please let us know if you have a current need, or would like to book forward contracts for, Organic or Conventional Whole or Sliced Sweetened Dried Cranberries (SDCs). We also supply 50 Brix and 65 Brix cranberry concentrate, shipped in bulk 55 gallon drums.

Almonds

The almond market is on hold as the talk of California type varieties coming in short continues. Suppliers are also awaiting the position report which will come out next week.

All major California Almond varieties will be available to ship in the coming weeks as many buyers are beginning to book their forward inventories. Our most popular almond varieties are Nonpareil, Independence, Butte/Padre, and Carmel types with the most popular grades of Supreme, Extra, Standard 5%, and more.

OTHER PRODUCTS

We work with a number of other products so please reach out if you have an inquiry for something you do not see here. We are experts in sourcing bulk food ingredients and welcome the opportunity to work with you on your inquiries. Some of our other product offerings include sunflower seeds, lentils, green peas, freeze dried fruits, popcorn, dried cherries, dried apples, dried blueberries, cherry concentrate, quinoa, dried honey dates, dried cherry tomatoes, dried gojis, dried kiwis, dried strawberries, chickpeas, chia seeds, dried mulberries, almonds, macadamias, pistachios, walnuts, cashews, pine nuts, pecans, brazil nuts, pumpkin seed kernels, melon kernels, hazelnuts, dried prunes, golden raisins, sultanas, dried apricots, sweet apricot kernels, dried black currants, dried figs, dried dates, popcorns, maraschino cherries, dried tomatoes, strawberry pie filling, blueberry pie filling, cherry pie filling, dried mangoes, dried gingers, dried pineapple, and desiccated coconut.

WORK WITH US AS A SUPPLIER

We are always looking to grow our supplier base with companies capable of delivering continuous high quality product at large volumes. If you are interested, please reach out and introduce yourself.

We welcome your inquiries and look forward to working together to deliver you the highest quality ingredients from the world's best suppliers. We are available to our suppliers and buyers 24/7 over email, phone, or WhatsApp.

California Raisin Harvest 2018

Anderson Exports is a Bulk Ingredients Sourcing Agency in Northern California. We specialize in sourcing the best ingredients from California, Brazil and the rest of the world. Our newsletter delivers actionable market intelligence to inform our clients' purchasing decisions.

Raisins

We visited multiple raisin processors in the Central Valley of California this week to discuss the new crop and forward pricing for the 2018 California raisin crop.

Newsletter 09.23.18 - Graphic 1.PNG

The vines are no longer resting this year and weather has been favorable so bunch counts are up significantly compared to the prior year. In one raisin plot in Kerman, California we learned that bunch counts recovered to 34 bunches per vine this year compared to 18 bunches per vine in the prior year, up 89%. Consistent with improved bunch counts and yields, we also observed substantial increases in the number of trays per row compared to last year, which is of course another positive indicator for the new crop. There is no rain or adverse weather in the 15-day forecast so the quality of the new raisin crop should be exceptional.

Despite the rebound in production, total supply will be relatively unchanged compared to last year due to the record low carry-in. For 2018, we expect total supply of approximately 335K MT, consisting of ~260K MT from 2018 production and ~75K from 2017 carry-over. The total supply for bulk raisins is probably even lower since as much as ~50K MT of the industry carry-over may be held by Sun-Maid and destined for retail, not bulk raisin export markets.

Pricing for 2018 crop bulk California raisins is opening at reasonable levels. Customers buying at expensive prices for 2017 crop over the past few months are finding some relief in the lower prices for the new 2018 raisin crop. Opening prices are generating new contracting momentum and also leaving room for steady price increases throughout the season, which is ideal for processors and foreign importers. Demand for new crop from foreign markets in Asia should be particularly strong as shipment numbers from California have been significantly below normal in recent months. Shipments of California Natural Seedless raisins to export markets totaled only 4,192MT in August 2018, 59% lower than the prior year period. We anticipate stable and slowly rising prices for bulk California Thompson raisins.

California’s new crop raisins are of excellent quality and as the harvest gets underway, we believe it is important to inform our buyers of California’s key raisin products and their differences. The graphic below shows the primary attributes of California’s two most commonly exported raisins: Thompson Seedless (Tray-Dried) and Dried-on-the-Vine (DOV). It is important to note that the distinction of DOV specifically describes the drying / harvest process, not a difference in variety as a single variety of grape can be either tray-dried (Thompson Seedless) or Dried-on-the-Vine (Thompson DOV).

Newsletter 09.23.18 - Graphic 2.PNG

As California comes to market with extremely high quality fruit, Turkey is grappling with unprecedented currency volatility. In this unknown environment, forward contracting in Turkey with high confidence is all but impossible. Based on the extent of recent swings in the Lira, currency movements of a single day can ruin an otherwise profitable raisin contract from Turkey. The extent to which this instability will incentivize Turkish raisin buyers to reconsider their supply sources remains to be seen. To be sure, price motivations have clearly dominated many European buyers’ shift to Turkey but if currency issues persist or quality problems arise, some buyers may reconsider.

We are pleased to present the following product showcase for Selma Pete DOV Double-Run Supreme raisins.

Newsletter 09.23.18 - Graphic 3.PNG

We supply all major bulk California raisins including dried-on-the-vine (DOV) and tray-dried Thompson Seedless Selects, Selma Petes, Flames, Goldens, and other varieties in Jumbo, Select, and Midget sizes.

Walnuts

The California walnut new crop is developing well. The weather has been ideal with the harvest underway for the early varieties of Vina, Serr, Howard, and Hartley. California packers are receiving a smaller than usual number of forward contracts vs this time last year. Opening prices are low with processors aware that it is a buyers market right now. Processors also know that seasonal demand from Europe and the Middle East are not yet fully expressed in the market price. Some processors may be keen to get forward business on the books at the current low prices while other larger processors are not anxious to undersell what is shaping up to be an excellent crop.

Chandler inshell will be available to ship in the first half of October. Early varieties such as Vina, Serr, and Hartley are already being received by California walnut processors. Jumbo and Jumbo / Large Hartley Bleached, Jumbo Howard, Jumbo Chandler, and Jumbo Large Chandler available for booking.

Cranberries

Prices remain high for sweetened dried cranberries (SDCs) as supply remains tight. With extremely limited near-term availability, there is no spot market for prompt shipment from origin. Though the new crop is developing well, anxiety still surrounds the possibility of the USDA’s approving a 25% volume reduction across the U.S. cranberry industry. We supply organic and non-organic whole and sliced sweetened dried cranberries (SDCs) from Wisconsin, Massachusetts, and Canada.

Almonds

California Almonds are on track to hit a record breaking crop for the 2018 harvest. Early indications suggest that the nonpareil crop may be short. Our recent visit to California’s Central Valley reaffirmed reports that this almond crop is of very high quality as the first field-run product is received by processors for packing.

All major California Almond varieties will be available to ship in the coming weeks as many buyers are beginning to book their forward inventories. Our most popular almond varieties are Nonpareil, Independence, Butte/Padre, & Carmel types with the most popular grades of Supreme, Extra, Standard 5%, and more.

Newsletter 09.23.18 - Graphic 4.PNG

Other Products

We work with a number of other products so please reach out if you have an inquiry for something you do not see here. We are experts in sourcing bulk food ingredients and welcome the opportunity to work with you on your inquiries. Some of our other product offerings include sunflower seeds, lentils, green peas, freeze dried fruits, popcorn, dried cherries, dried apples, dried blueberries, cherry concentrate, quinoa, dried honey dates, dried cherry tomatoes, dried gojis, dried kiwis, dried strawberries, chickpeas, chia seeds, dried mulberries, almonds, macadamias, pistachios, walnuts, cashews, pine nuts, pecans, brazil nuts, pumpkin seed kernels, melon kernels, hazelnuts, dried prunes, golden raisins, sultanas, dried apricots, sweet apricot kernels, dried black currants, dried figs, dried dates, popcorns, maraschino cherries, dried tomatoes, strawberry pie filling, blueberry pie filling, cherry pie filling, dried mangoes, dried gingers, dried pineapple, and desiccated coconut.

Work With Us As a Supplier

We are always looking to grow our supplier base with companies capable of delivering continuous high quality product at large volumes. If you are interested, please reach out and introduce yourself.

We welcome your inquiries and look forward to working together to deliver you the highest quality ingredients from the world's best suppliers. We are available to our suppliers and buyers 24/7 over email, phone, or WhatsApp.

California New Crop Updates

September 9, 2018

Anderson Exports is a Bulk Ingredients Sourcing Agency in Northern California. We specialize in sourcing the best ingredients from California, Brazil and the rest of the world. Our newsletter delivers actionable market intelligence to inform our clients' purchasing decisions.

Pecans

According to a report by Daniel Sumner and Tristian Hanon from UC Davis published in August 2018, the share of pecans shipped to countries with retaliatory tariffs on the U.S. (~22%) is higher than the share of walnuts (~14%), almonds (~13%), and pistachios (~13%) shipped to markets facing increased tariffs.

Pecans have relatively high exporsure to markets facing increased tariffs compared to other nuts.JPG

The report, which assesses U.S. fruits and nuts found that the trade losses may total to $2.64 billion per year using the export value lost as a measure.   

Our earliest new crop shipments are for late September / early October. We supply Fancy Junior Mammoth Halves (FJMH), Fancy Pieces, and other sizes / types for all major U.S. pecan varieties.
The U.S. pistachio crop is developing well. Expect new crop shipments in October and November. We supply all major grades and sizes of in-shell and kernel Pistachios from the U.S. and welcome your inquiries for new crop.

Walnuts

California walnut production is estimated at 690K MT, up 10% from the crop of 630K MT last year according to the 2018 California Walnut Objective Measure Report released by the USDA. 

California is on track for the largest walnut crop on record_v02.JPG

The data indicated an average nut set of 1,176 per tree, up 3.1% from the 2017 average of 1,141. Sizing data came in small -- all of the sizing measurements were below the prior year levels. Although there were some concerns that rains in the late spring would damper the crop, it turned out to the contrary: cooler conditions increased kernel size and improved quality. All told, California is on track for a good walnut harvest which will kick-off in the middle of this month.

For those buyers who are looking for the best potential for high quality inshell, we recommend sourcing your product from the world renowned Linden area, which grows some of the highest quality and most sought after nuts in California. Up and coming regions with increasingly higher quality production also include the Northern areas of Chico and Yuba City. The rise of these growing regions is in no small part due to the climatic changes caused by the increasing pressures of warmer average temperatures seen over the past decade in California’s Central Valley. These higher temperatures create risk of sunburn, infestation, and issues of water availability. Fortunately for California’s walnut industry, Northern California has reliable water resources and a more mild climate, ideal for growing these incredibly healthy nuts. 

Cranberries

The cranberry harvest is now only a few weeks away. The 2018 cranberry crop is expected to be normal which will likely register as a year-over-year increase compared to 2017 when production was down in the U.S. and Canada. While production is expected to recover, total supply for 2018 / 2019 will be similar to this past year due to lower carry-in and the USDA volume regulations. The potential for the 2018 handler withholding to pass provides further runway for higher prices for  sweetened dried cranberries (SDCs). The Cranberry Marketing Committee meeting in mid-August provided further clarity on the handler withholdings (supply reductions).

The 2018 handler witholding proposal remains a wild card for the U.S. cranberry industry.JPG

The USDA ruling which approved the Cranberry Marketing Committee recommendation to impose a 15% handler withholding on the 2017 crop is being enforced. In total, an estimated 792,000 barrels of cranberries will be removed from U.S. inventories as a result of that ruling, which is about a 7% reduction versus a normal harvest. Since the 2017 crop was down due to natural causes, this artificial supply reduction compounded supply tightness. Amid strong global demand for SDCs, prices have doubled compared to a year ago and show no signs of reversing in the foreseeable future.

The 2018 handler withholding remains a wild card for the cranberry industry. The USDA has still not released the final ruling and producers are frustrated as the consequences of this decision are far-reaching. At the Cranberry Marketing Committee meeting in August, the guidance from the USDA was to proceed with the assumption that the USDA will publish a final ruling consistent with the proposal issued in April. Based on that proposal, it is estimated that the 2018 handler withholding will remove 1,275,000 barrels of cranberries from U.S. inventories, which is about a 12% reduction versus a normal harvest. Given that the market is already extremely tight, the passing of the proposed handler withholding for 2018 would likely give prices further upward momentum.

For buyers with uncovered SDC needs for the fourth quarter 2018, we have some limited availability and would advise reaching out before the production slots are filled up. Given how much prices have come up in the last year, many customers have responded by covering on a hand-to-mouth basis with single loads here and there. This tendency to buy spot instead of through forward contracts may prove to be a costly strategy if forward material is not contracted and the 2018 producer allotment passes. We supply sliced and whole sweetened dried cranberries from Canada and the U.S. and welcome your inquiries.

Raisins

Yesterday the Raisin Bargaining Association sent out a letter stating the field price offer to packers for the 2018-19 raisin crop. The price offered is the highest in the history of California Raisins and reflects the very low inventory position and the reduced acreage producing raisins. The inventory as of August 1, 2018 was approximately 79,000 tons. This is a reduction of over 40,000 tons from August 1, 2017. Based on this, the growers would need to produce 40,000 more tons than they produced in 2017 just to have the same available tonnage. Weather conditions during the harvest have been exceptional and most in the industry are very optimistic that the crop will be of excellent quality.

With the 2018 California raisin harvest underway, buyers are eager to lock-in new crop contracts. California raisins are known for being the highest quality in the world due to experienced farmers, ideal growing conditions, advanced processing equipment. Natural Thompson Seedless Select raisins are the most sought after raisin variety and size. With shipments of California Thompson raisins down substantially compared to last year, buyers have been covering with other regions -- namely, Turkey, Chile, and South Africa. When the new crop becomes available in the coming weeks, we expect monthly shipment numbers to rebound. Prices will likely remain firm even if the new crop is normal due to extremely low carry-in. From California, we supply Thompson Seedless, Selma Pete, Fiesta, Zante Currant, Flames, Golden Seedless in Jumbo, Select, and Midget sizes and welcome your inquiries.

Almonds

The new nonpareil crop is rolling in and early reports suggest that sizing is a little small. Of course, these are preliminary reports so the extent of the issue remains to be seen. Nonetheless, this week, many almond suppliers were off the market or only offering “safe” pricing way above the current market. With tariff uncertainty compelling many buyers to stay on the sidelines, forward contracting activity is lagging prior years. However, global demand for almonds is robust and we expect the market to pick-up soon as new crop shipments become available.

Pistachios

Trump’s trade war is having mixed impacts on the California pistachio industry. On the positive side, sanctions on California’s key pistachio growing rival -- Iran -- will likely allow California to take market share in the global market. On the negative side, major buyers of Pistachios are in countries such as China which are being targeted by Trump’s tariffs. As a result, retaliatory tariffs on pistachio imports from China will dampen California’s ability to serve key export markets. With the new crop on the way, the impacts remain to be seen. 

Sugar

The incentives for Brazilian mills to produce sugar sweetener compared to ethanol is extremely low right now. Therefore, much of the cane typically destined for sugar is being diverted to ethanol. These trends are weighing on estimates for how much sugar will be exported by Brazil in the years to come. All told, even with the diversions to ethanol, Brazil is a key global bulk exporter of sugar and that role will likely remain unchanged. Particularly on vessel-load business, other countries have a hard time competing with Brazil due to the favorable cane growing conditions in the country and the sophistication and scale of the industry.

We supply Brazil origin ICUMSA 45 Sugar by the vessel on a spot (MOQ: 12,500 MT) or forward contract basis including long-term contracts of 300,000 MT / month x 12 months. Payment by SBLC, BG, or DLC confirmed by global top 50 bank. We supply German Beet Sugar (MOQ: 1 FCL) as well as Thai Sugar (MOQ: 10 FCLs)

Brazil Soybeans

Next month, soybean planting will begin full-throttle in central Brazil. Particularly due to Chinese tariffs on U.S. agricultural products such as soybeans, Brazil is in a relatively advantaged position vis-a-vis the U.S. Planted soybean acreage is on the rise and Brazil and the country is expected to continue in its role as a key global supplier of soybeans in the years to come.

We supply GMO and Non-GMO certified Soybeans from Brazil. MOQ: 12,500+ MT. Payment by SBLC, BG, or DLC confirmed by global top 50 bank.

Brazil Corn

Full-season corn is typically planted this month in Brazil. Corn is predominantly grown in the Southern and Southeastern regions of Brazil. During this month, scattered rains are expected and warm to hot temperatures. 

We supply GMO and Non-GMO certified Corn from Brazil. MOQ: 12,500 MT. Payment by SBLC, BG, or DLC from global top 50 bank.

Rice

We offer a wide range of rices from Thailand and Cambodia including Gaba Jasmine, Thai Fragrant, Thai Hommali, Thai Black, Thai White, Thai Red and Thai Parboiled Rices. MOQ: 10 x 20’ FCLs.

Other Products

We work with a number of other products so please reach out if you have an inquiry for something you do not see here. We are experts in sourcing bulk food ingredients and welcome the opportunity to work with you on your inquiries. Some of our other product offerings include sunflower seeds, lentils, green peas, freeze dried fruits, popcorn, dried cherries, dried apples, dried blueberries, cherry concentrate, quinoa, dried honey dates, dried cherry tomatoes, dried gojis, dried kiwis, dried strawberries, chickpeas, chia seeds, dried mulberries, almonds, macadamias, pistachios, walnuts, cashews, pine nuts, pecans, brazil nuts, pumpkin seed kernels, melon kernels, hazelnuts, dried prunes, golden raisins, sultanas, dried apricots, sweet apricot kernels, dried black currants, dried figs, dried dates, popcorns, maraschino cherries, dried tomatoes, strawberry pie filling, blueberry pie filling, cherry pie filling, dried mangoes, dried gingers, dried pineapple, and desiccated coconut.

WORK WITH US AS A SUPPLIER

We are always looking to grow our supplier base with companies capable of delivering continuous high quality product at large volumes. If you are interested, please reach out and introduce yourself.

We welcome your inquiries and look forward to working together to deliver you the highest quality ingredients from the world's best suppliers. We are available to our suppliers and buyers 24/7 over email, phone, or WhatsApp.

Global Raisin Update

August 19, 2018

Anderson Exports is a Bulk Ingredients Sourcing Agency in Northern California. We specialize in sourcing the best ingredients from California, Brazil and the rest of the world. Our newsletter delivers actionable market intelligence to inform our clients' purchasing decisions.

Raisins

California raisins are about 3 weeks from harvest. The 2018 California raisin crop is healthy and developing well so far. Bunch counts recovered compared to the prior crop. The Raisin Bargaining Association (RBA) reported 33 bunches per vine for the current crop, up 22% from last year but still below the 10-year average of 37 bunches per vine. Weather, as we saw last year with the two unexpected rains during the harvest, is of course a key factor for a successful raisin harvest and will be especially in focus in the coming weeks.

Prices for bulk California raisins will likely remain elevated even if the new crop is normal. The current raisin crop was the smallest since 1982 according to the RBA. Due to the record small crop this year, the carry-in for 2018 supply is estimated to be ~70 - 75K MT, or ~48% lower than the 5-year average. Demand for California raisins has built-up considerably in recent months as monthly shipment numbers lag severely behind recent years. Shipments of California Natural Seedless raisins were down by 41% in July compared to the prior year based on the latest report from the Raisin Administrative Committee (RAC). 

California raisin suppliers are therefore eager to renew supply continuity for both domestic and international clients. Buyers are similarly looking forward to new crop, particularly for Select / Medium sizes of Thompson Seedless raisins which can be hard to come by at this point in the year. Midget / small sizes, which fall through the screens first compared to larger fruit, are available from the current crop at attractive levels.

After last year’s disappointing raisin crop in California, major importers turned to Turkey, Chile, and South Africa to cover supply in recent months. California processors even imported Chilean material to fulfill domestic customer needs. Chilean raisin exports to the United States increased by 54% from January - May of this year compared to last according to data from the USDA. While the swing is notable, Chile’s total raisin production of ~60K MT still lags the United States and Turkey by a substantial margin. For example, in a typical year, California ships ~20K MT of raisins per month so it would take only 3 months to ship Chile’s entire annual production volume. Nonetheless, quality from Chile this year has been excellent and we have loads available for prompt shipment from Chile for Thompson and Flame raisins. 

Turkey’s new crop for raisins is also just around the corner. With the Eid al-Adha holidays ongoing, the market in Turkey will be slow for the next week. Turkey’s Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Pakdemirli recently announced the new crop estimate for Turkey at 261K MT. The actual figures often differ substantially from the government’s estimates so we will have to wait and see. Turkish Sultana raisins and Thompson raisins will be first shipped to Spain, due to its close geographic proximity, then to Europe and other export markets. Though Turkey has continued to grapple with observing strict pesticide controls, overall, the quality of Turkey’s raisin processing facilities is improving. For Turkish raisins, we supply from BRC and ISO 22000 suppliers to deliver the highest quality Turkish sultana raisins to our customers.

Trump’s recent spat with Erdoğan is causing major problems and concerns for Turkey’s trading partners. We have seen large fluctuations in the value of the Turkish Lira, which will certainly affect the rates at which raisins are offered to Turkey’s foreign purchasers. Due to the general uncertainty around the Lira, we have seen many Turkish suppliers reluctant to offer large forward contracts.

Iranian sultana raisin exports outside of the Middle East will face major challenges in the coming year due to the U.S. sanctions. Trump intends to clamp down on businesses and banks doing business with Iran. European buyers of raisins from Iran will likely turn to Turkey, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, the U.S., Chile and South Africa this year due to these trade and sanction issues.

We specialize in sourcing the highest quality sun-dried raisins from California, Turkey, Chile, and South Africa and we we welcome your inquiries for dried-on-the-vine (DOV) and tray-dried Thompson Seedless, Selma Petes, Flames, Goldens, and other varieties in Jumbo, Select, and Midget sizes. Currently, we also have Chilean and South African raisins for prompt shipment. 

Cranberries

Severe fruit shortages of sliced sweetened dried cranberries (SDCs) continued in recent weeks. Producers have no availability for prompt shipment. Lead-times to earliest shipment remain long and prices are high and have shown no weakness yet. The USDA decision on the 25% producer allotment (supply reduction) for the coming crop still remains unknown at this time. Given the substantial impact this decision will have on the industry and fruit availability, the tightness in pricing and supply may become even more problematic if the supply reduction is passed.

For buyers, the current situation is no doubt challenging. Prices have doubled over the last year and show no signs of relenting at this time. There is no longer a spot market for prompt shipment due to the shortages. The U.S. is also essentially the sole supplier of cranberries around the globe, besides a very small crop from Chile, so there are no actionable alternative supply origins for sourcing cranberries. Therefore, we urge our clients to discuss their cranberry requirements with us as early as possible in order to determine the right approach to covering forward needs for SDCs.

Walnut

The new walnut crop in California is looking good. Some walnut growers have been doing some cuttings in recent weeks and have reported that the color of the walnuts is better than at the same time last year, which is a positive sign. The Objective Walnut Estimate is set to be released in September by the California Agricultural Statistics Service (CASS) and should add further clarity on the size of the 2018 California walnut crop. Current estimates are in the 680 - 700K MT range. 

Export sales have been slow in recent weeks due to the tariffs. Currency volatility is also adding to buyer reluctancy to book forward contracts. The market may pick-up after the details of the Section 32 buys are released. This is the relief channel for the walnut industry on the trade war. We expect market activity to pick-up in the coming weeks.

The Walnut Acreage Report for California released in July 2018 showed 335,000 bearing acres for California, a new record which positions the industry well for a record crop. The 2017 bearing acreage is composed primarily of Chandler (47%) followed by Hartley (12%), Howard (11%), Tulare (11%), Serr (5%), Vina (5%), and others (10%). There are also approximately 65,000 non-bearing acres for the 2017 year, according to the USDA. Chandler represents the 59% of the non-bearing acreage. These trees will begin to produce in the coming years, adding to the bearing acreage and total production. 

California has the lightest and largest walnuts in the world. We supply in-shell and shelled walnuts for all major varieties including Chandler, Hartley, Howard, Tulare, Serr, Vina, and others.

Almonds

Foreign buyers continue to be cautious with forward contracts for the new crop. However, current-year almond shipments are still going strong through the typical transshipment routes into China via Vietnam, Hong Kong, etc. The July 2018 California almond shipment report showed July shipments at 143 mm lbs, down slightly from the prior year figure of 153.9 mm lbs. The lower committed shipments of 170 mm lbs, down 15.65% confirms the slow forward contracting environment. Global uncertainty on tariffs, foreign exchange volatility and a large crop may keep put a lid on pricing this year for some California almond varieties.

We anticipate almond prices to be steady. Cals are harder to come by at the moment. The Cal SSR crop is coming in a little short vs. last year. Growers and processors are expecting approx. 285 mm of SSR grade product this year. Supply is not keeping up with demand on SSRs so expecting firmer pricing there.

Pecans

The new California walnut crop quality looks good, although we still have another six weeks of summer weather to get through before we’re safe. In a hot year like this, well-irrigated orchards will perform particularly well. Georgia’s crop is looking especially strong with estimates in the 110 - 140 million lbs range. Estimates for the U.S. and Mexico pecan crops are in the 300 mm lbs and 330 mm range, respectively. 

Our earliest new crop shipments are for late September / early October. We supply Fancy Junior Mammoth Halves (FJMH), Fancy Pieces, and other sizes / types for all major U.S. pecan varieties.

Pistachios

Trump’s resumption of sanctions on Iran is positioning U.S. pistachio suppliers for big share gains. Iran is the only real rival to U.S. pistachios in terms of production volume followed by Turkey. The estimated carry-over to new crop is going to be smaller than in typical years which may drive firmer opening prices. As we approach the harvest season, focus will be on weather and trade tariffs. 

The U.S. pistachio crop is developing well. Expect new crop shipments in October and November. We supply all major grades and sizes of in-shell and kernel Pistachios from the U.S. and welcome your inquiries for new crop.

Figs

Turkish Figs have seen a recent rain while the product is in its most critical stage for harvesting. We have heard reports that up to 40% of figs will be either sour, open-mouthed, or cracked. We have seen this movie before this past year in California raisins. These types of late season rains during critical junctures in the process of harvesting creates major problems that stem from the damage these rains can do. This past year in California, as we have talked about extensively, has shown the monthly shipments to be down some 40+ percent in July vs. this time last year.

This is a big deal for Turkish Figs as it will bring two-fold results to this large export market; 1) We will likely see a large decrease in total available tonnage in the coming year (2018 / 2019) vs last year due to mold, sand, and grit concerns and 2) The price of Turkish Figs will thus begin to climb beginning now through this coming year. We saw the same in California raisins last year, with many buyers holding off the market during the early fall harvest season, when prices were at their lowest they would be all year. This has caused a backlog of orders with lower quality and higher prices. We ultimately recommend that anyone interested in booking their Turkish Fig needs for this season books this business sooner rather than later to avoid the inevitable rises in price and lower quality to be expected from Turkey after the recent rains. 

Apricots

The Turkish dried apricot harvest is nearing an end. The quality of the crop is good. The average sizes are in the 3 - 4 range. The estimated carry-in to the 2018 crop is about 30K MT. Organic and non-organic sulfured and unsulfured Turkish apricots are available for export markets in size 3, 4, and 5. 

Brazil Sugar

Sugar prices remained low in recent weeks as world market surpluses continued. Large production increases from India and Thailand added to the excess supply situation. After production quotas expired in October 2017, the E.U. sugar industry is facing an extremely challenging export environment given the low price environment. Recent droughts in the E.U. are weighing on production estimates as well. 

We supply Brazil origin ICUMSA 45 Sugar by the vessel on a spot (MOQ: 12,500 MT) or forward contract basis including long-term contracts of 300,000 MT / month x 12 months. Payment by SBLC, BG, or DLC confirmed by global top 50 bank.
We supply German Beet Sugar (MOQ: 1 FCL) as well as Thai Sugar (MOQ: 10 FCLs)

Brazil Soy

Brazil’s exports of soybeans are expected to hit an all-time record this year. The 25% Chinese tariff on U.S. soybeans is set to improve Brazil’s relative competitiveness compared to the U.S. In the first half of 2018, Brazil’s exports of soybeans to China increased to approximately 36 million metric tons, up about 6% from the prior year. In July alone, Brazilian soy exports to China rose 46% compared to July last year.

Weak sugar prices are also incentivizing Brazilian farmers to switch from sugar to soy and other crops. According to government data, Brazil’s soy plantings grew by 2 million hectares in two years while, over the same period, planted acreage for cane sugar declined by 400,000 hectares.

We supply GMO and Non-GMO certified Soybeans from Brazil. MOQ: 12,500+ MT. Payment by SBLC, BG, or DLC confirmed by global top 50 bank.

Brazil Corn

Estimates for Brazil’s 2017 / 2018 corn crop declined slightly in recent weeks to 82.1 million tons (MMT) which reflects a decrease of 16% compared to last year’s production of approx. 99 MMT. Brazil’s corn exporters continue to be well-positioned to take advantage of Trump’s trade disputes with key trading partners.  

We supply GMO and Non-GMO certified Corn from Brazil. MOQ: 12,500 MT. Payment by SBLC, BG, or DLC from global top 50 bank.

Rice

We offer a wide range of rices from Thailand and Cambodia including Gaba Jasmine, Thai Fragrant, Thai Hommali, Thai Black, Thai White, Thai Red and Thai Parboiled Rices. MOQ: 10 x 20’ FCLs.

Other Products

We work with a number of other products so please reach out if you have an inquiry for something you do not see here. We are experts in sourcing bulk food ingredients and welcome the opportunity to work with you on your inquiries. Some of our other product offerings include sunflower seeds, lentils, green peas, freeze dried fruits, popcorn, dried cherries, dried apples, dried blueberries, cherry concentrate, quinoa, dried honey dates, dried cherry tomatoes, dried gojis, dried kiwis, dried strawberries, chickpeas, chia seeds, dried mulberries, almonds, macadamias, pistachios, walnuts, cashews, pine nuts, pecans, brazil nuts, pumpkin seed kernels, melon kernels, hazelnuts, dried prunes, golden raisins, sultanas, dried apricots, sweet apricot kernels, dried black currants, dried figs, dried dates, popcorns, maraschino cherries, dried tomatoes, strawberry pie filling, blueberry pie filling, cherry pie filling, dried mangoes, dried gingers, dried pineapple, and dessicated coconut.

Work With Us As a Supplier

We are always looking to grow our supplier base with companies capable of delivering continuous high quality product at large volumes. If you are interested, please reach out and introduce yourself.

We welcome your inquiries and look forward to working together to deliver you the highest quality ingredients from the world's best suppliers. We are available to our suppliers and buyers 24/7 over email, phone, or WhatsApp.

Pre-Harvest Updates

August 5, 2018

Anderson Exports is a Bulk Ingredients Sourcing Agency in Northern California. We specialize in sourcing the best ingredients from California, Brazil and the rest of the world. Our newsletter delivers actionable market intelligence to inform our clients' purchasing decisions.

Raisins

The new crop of California raisins is developing well with improved bunch counts compared to last year and overall crop quality is looking good. At this time, we are signing up new crop contracts for earliest shipment in September and October.   

Even with expectations of a normal new crop for California raisins, we anticipate elevated prices due to the smaller carry-in and backlog of demand. Since the prior crop was so small, the carry-out from this season is probably going to be approx. 70 - 75k MT for California Natural Seedless Select raisins.

Pic 1 - Low carry-in.PNG

We believe this decreased carry-in figure together with the shipment backlog -- seen in the June shipments down 39% year-over-year -- will lead to tight supply and firm prices for new crop despite normal production levels.

On the demand side, there is strong appetite for California raisins from Asia, particularly in Japan. Based on monthly shipment data from the Raisin Administrative Committee (RAC), the following graphic helps illustrate the shifting export demand for California raisins.

pic 2 - Export shipments.PNG

For the first time ever, Japan imported more California raisins than all of Europe over the period of August 1st to June 30th this year. Not only did Japan surpass European imports, it did so by a vast margin: 9,315 MT or 45%. We expect this robust demand from Japan to continue. Japan’s quality specifications are some of the strictest in the world and California’s processing facilities are the most sophisticated so the two regions are well-suited. 

Over the last few years, Europe has become a less significant buyer of California raisins, opting increasingly for Turkish sultana raisins rather than California Thompsons, largely due to the price differential. Turkey’s proximity to Europe as well as improving processing capabilities are also driving the origin-shift.

The California Thompson is widely considered to be the best snacking raisin globally and will likely remain so for some time. We expect California raisin prices to remain elevated and buyers to act early to secure new crop material and welcome your inquiries for dried-on-the-vine (DOV) and tray-dried California Thompson Seedless, Selma Petes, Flames, Goldens, and others in Jumbo, Select, and Midget sizes.

Cranberries

The USDA decision on the 25% producer allotment (supply reduction) for the coming crop is long overdue at this time. They indicated the decision would be put out in Feb/March but has yet to be released. Growers need to make operating decisions with the information about the crop allotment since the implications will be severe. Availability remains tight with no prompt shipment available. Some suppliers are completely sold out of fruit and are awaiting new crop. At this time, the new crop looks okay -- doesn't appear to be the biggest crop but should be normal. Bottom line is that the USDA holds the cards on forward cranberry pricing due to the potential for the USDA to pass a 25% supply reduction for the coming crop. This decision has the potential to drive prices higher substantially. 

With the earliest shipments being offered right now for September / October, and some suppliers offering January forward shipments well over $2.00 / lb. on an ex-works basis, our recommendation if you need to cover your cranberry needs prior to 2019, is to lock in contracts at today's prices.

Walnuts

Buyer apprehension due to uncertainty over trade tariffs is causing slower new crop sales for California walnuts. Prices have come down in recent weeks for current and new crop. Walnut handlers in California are looking to reduce inventories and accelerate new crop sales so prices are coming down. The new crop is expected to be healthy with tonnage in the 680,000 MT range. Though tariff-related uncertainty may persist for some time, we do expect order activity to pick up after the Objective Walnut Estimate is released later this month. The California Agricultural Statistics Service (CASS) Objective Estimate will add some clarity on the new crop.

Howard, Hartley, Bleached Hartley, Tulare, Vina, and Serr varieties of inshell walnut will be harvested first, with Chandler quick to follow. We are currently marketing new crop inshell Jumbo and Jumbo / Large Chandler Walnuts, please let us know your requirements.

Almonds

Almond prices are declining due to the tariffs effect of weakening demand. China's tariff added a 50% tax to California almonds. Prices have come down approx 10% recently due to the bumper crop expected amid lower demand due to escalating trade tensions. As another setback for U.S. almond growers, China has closed a trading loophole that for years allowed large volumes of American almonds to be transported into the country via Vietnam without incurring import taxes. China's strict treatment of smuggling is also discouraging transshipment activity to avoid tariffs. 

Overall, we see committed shipments currently down >50% from this time last year as an early signal of prices dropping substantially in the period ahead due to the bumper crop amid eroding export demand due to tariffs.

Apricots

Turkish apricot shipments for the 2018 crop are underway and quality is good. Organic and non-organic sulfured and unsulfured Turkish apricots are available in size 3, 4 and 5 are freshly processed and packed. With production for the 2017 / 2018 harvest estimated in the 140,000 MT range, Turkey is by far the largest producer of apricots globally followed by Iran (32,000 MT) and Uzbekistan (10,000 MT). 

Brazil Sugar

Weak sugar prices continued in recent weeks as world market surpluses rose further. Earlier this year, record production from India and Thailand worsened the oversupply situation. Production in the E.U. is also growing after production quotas expired in October 2017. The E.U. faces an extremely competitive export market with global production so high and prices so low. In recent weeks, heavy rains in the Center / South Brazil slowed the sugarcane crush. Wetter weather is known to negatively impact cane quality and incentivizes ethanol production since juice quality deteriorates. 

We supply Brazil origin ICUMSA 45 Sugar by the vessel on a spot (MOQ: 50,000 MT) or forward contract basis including long-term contracts of 300,000 MT / month x 12 months. Payment by SBLC, BG, or DLC from global top 50 bank. 

Brazil Soy

As Trump escalates the trade war with China, Brazil and Argentinian soy farmers are seizing the opportunity to increase production. The USDA raised its 2018 / 2019 Brazilian production forecast to a record 120.5 MMT driven by higher planted soybean acreage. 

Higher freight rates in Brazil are continuing to negatively impact Brazil’s soybean industry. Due to higher inland freight costs as a result of the labor disputes, fertilizer deliveries to Brazilian soybean growers have been delayed. Some growers have reported a rise in fertilizer and pesticide costs of 20% ahead of the 2018 / 2019 crop cycle. Higher fertilize prices will weaken grower margins and may lead to lower fertilizer application rates. In turn, reduced fertilizer and pesticide application rates may depress yields in the years to come. Despite near-term challenges, global demand is growing for soybeans and Brazil is extremely well positioned to serve increasing global demand.

We supply GMO and Non-GMO certified Soybeans from Brazil. MOQ: 50,000+ MT. Payment by SBLC, BG, or DLC from global top 50 bank.

Brazil Corn

Expectations for Brazil’s safrinha corn production fell in recent weeks. Many believe the lower production figures will be reflected in lower volumes of Brazilian corn exports. Reduced production is causing prices to go higher. Estimates for Brazilian production are in the 80 MMT range. Globally, corn inventories are falling faster than expected which is also firming prices. The global stocks to uses ratio is in the 13% range which is the lowest level in recent years.

We supply GMO and Non-GMO certified Corn from Brazil. MOQ: 50,000 MT. Payment by SBLC, BG, or DLC from global top 50 bank.

Other Products

We work with a number of other products so please reach out if you have an inquiry for something you do not see here. Some of our other product offerings include sunflower seeds, lentils, green peas, freeze dried fruits, popcorn, dried cherries, dried apples, dried blueberries, cherry concentrate, quinoa, dried honey dates, dried cherry tomatoes, dried gojis, dried kiwis, dried strawberries, chickpeas, chia seeds, dried mulberries, almonds, macadamias, pistachios, walnuts, cashews, pinenuts, pecans, brazilnuts, pumpkin seed kernels, melon kernels, hazelnuts, dried prunes, golden raisins, sultanas, dried apricots, sweet apricot kernels, dried blackcurrants, dried figs, dried dates, popcorns, maraschino cherries, dried tomatoes, strawberry pie filling, blueberry pie filling, cherry pie filling, dried mangoes, dried gingers, dried pineapple, and dessicated coconut.

Work With Us As a Supplier

We are always looking to grow our supplier base with companies capable of delivering continuous high quality product at large volumes. If you are interested, please reach out and introduce yourself.

We welcome your inquiries and look forward to working together to deliver you the highest quality ingredients from the world's best suppliers. We are available to our suppliers and buyers 24/7 over email, phone, or WhatsApp.

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