Freezing weather in the US caused by a so-called polar vortex that has forced cold air down into all 50 states is expected to have caused widespread damage to crops including vegetables and berries, although it remains too early to gauge the full extent of the impact on production.
In the meantime, trade sources suggest that certain key export products – including California table grapes and Florida citrus – have emerged largely unscathed.
'We are still in the process of determining what damage may have been done to various crops,' said Chris Kilvington, chief executive of Nevada-based international trading firm Global Pacific Produce.
'I do know that Californian grape production will be unaffected, as will Floridian citrus. I think for the other crops in the north it would be too early to tell although I would say it would be safe to assume that production will be affected.'
Dave Martin of Washington-based fruit marketer Stemilt told Americafruit the polar vortex was not affecting exports.
'I would think this is more likely to be affecting our domestic sales in the Midwest and East coast,' he said. 'Exports are moving just fine by ocean shipment, and relatively unaffected by weather patterns at the moment.'
Slow sales
In New York, where temperatures fell to -15°C – their lowest in 118 years – on Tuesday, Matthew d'Arrigo of D'Arrigo Brothers reported overall demand was down as a result of people staying indoors.
'This time of year weather seems to take more of a lead role in our business both on the growing end and locally,' he commented. 'At the same time, due to cold weather in growing areas, there are many short-supplied, high-priced items that we are chasing. Broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, strawberries all are very expensive due to weather conditions at shipping point.'
He added that although wintry conditions did tend to occur once or twice every year, such a severe freeze did 'wreak havoc' on his sales.
'Our business is off a good 25 per cent the last two weeks and that doesn’t ever get made back,' he revealed. 'A lost sale of broccoli today doesn’t mean a double order tomorrow – something my father used to say, which tells you that this is not anything new to us.'
Nick Pacia from AJ Trucco said sales were down by an estimated 30 per cent. 'The drop in temperature caused a dip in consumer demand, especially on the 3, 6 and 7 January,' he told Fruitnet. 'Many people decided to cancel their food shopping trips on those days due to the low temperatures.'
Paul Marier of Capespan North America, based in Montreal, confirmed retail had been slow, but insisted that nobody was linking the downturn to the recent cold snap, suggesting that people were more likely to stockpile groceries if a storm was on the way, but that wouldn't really affect fresh fruit and vegetables.
'On the supply side, there have been no major disruptions,' he added. 'Trucks travelling from the West Coast to the East Coast might be facing delays of a day or so, but nothing more serious than that.'
Capespan is just beginning its imported grape deal, but the volumes being handled remain far from those seen later in the campaign.
Additional reporting by Maura Maxwell and Carl Collen
