Market News
About 40 percent of all fruits and vegetables grown in the U.S. are thrown away, straining landfills and wasting the resources used to produce them, reported The Packer. Full Story
Strawberries remain the favorite fruit of U.S. households, according to a study by the California Strawberry Commission. The study showed 96% of consumers are eating strawberries, and more than half of those are eating them once or more each week, reported The Packer. Full Story
Raw sugar prices erased declines for the year on speculation a fire at the port of Santos in Brazil may disrupt shipments and force millers to make more ethanol. A fire that broke out at Copersucar’s terminal in Santos left six warehouses "totally compromised" and destroyed 180,000 metric tons of sugar, reported Bloomberg.com. Full Story
J&J Produce changed its name to J&J Family of Farms and transformed its corporate brand image, reported The Produce News. Full Story
Coffee prices fell to the lowest in more than four years as dry weather helped improve growing conditions in Brazil. Global production is set to exceed demand for a fourth straight season, pushing inventories to a five-year high, reported Bloomberg.com. Full Story
As of Oct. 21, U.S. average diesel fuel prices were $3.360 per gallon, up 0.006 cents per gallon from a week ago, and down $0.327 from one year ago. Full Story
California agriculture officials extended a temporary price increase to the state's dairy industry while acknowledging that the state's milk pricing system is outdated, reported The Fresno Bee. Full Story
U.S. pecan growers trying to sell pecans into India reported that the country's tree nut tariff is too high and makes it costly to do business. Pecans are the only native tree nut grown in the U.S., which produces 80% of the world's pecan production, reported Southeast Farm Press. Full Story
Purple potatoes, which are native to South America, have migrated to U.S. grocery bins and restaurant menus. The potatoes are reportedly loaded with more vitamins and disease-fighting antioxidants than their white counterparts, reported AZCentral.com. Full Story
Tyson Foods halted purchases of slaughter-ready cattle from Canada as of mid-October due to higher costs associated with mandatory country-of-origin labeling. Tyson will continue buying Canadian feeder cattle that are finished for market at U.S. feedlots, reported Reuters. Full Story
Cocoa butter costs are declining as demand to make chocolates for year-end holidays ended. Chocolate manufacturers slowed purchases waiting for lower prices before a pick-up in demand for Easter in April, reported Bloomberg.com. Full Story
Cargill will close its Lockney, TX, feedlot next summer due to shrinking supplies of cattle, drought and high feed costs, reported Reuters. Full Story
An Indian food minister stated that onion prices will come down by the end of October with the fresh arrival of domestic and imported stock, while asking the traders not to "loot" consumers by charging more, reported The Times of India. Full Story