Click here to read this week’s farm report.
Air and soil temperatures were reported to be:
o The average minimum air temperature declined to 21.6°C (70.9°F)
o The average air temperature reached 25.1°C (77.2°F)
o The average soil temperature also declined to 25.9°C (78.5°F)
o Solar radiation varied from moderate to very low with several overcast days.
o Low risk of sunburnt and corky fruit.
o The relative humidity rose slightly to 88.7%.
o Large fruit (4,5 and 6 count) rose slightly to 47.5% and 5 count was 18.5% of our harvest.
o The harvest age of out fruit decreased significantly this week, given by a decrease in the volume of 20 WAF fruit that reached 75.5% of the total and an increase in younger fruit (19 WAF) that reached 24.5%.
o Crownless fruit volume decreased to 4.6% of the total packed.
o Despite the decrease in harvest age performed by the farms this week, the sugar content of our fruit remained very high (above 15.5 brix), as well as the percentage of fruit with brix greater than 15.5, which reached 48.6% of the sampled during the week. The standard deviation of Brix readings was greater than 1 on some farms. Therefore, greater variation in sweetness is expected among the fruits sampled.
o The average firmness of our fruit was quite like that of the previous week. Fruits with psi less than 2.7 reached only 2.1% of the sampled. The minimum was 2.7 psi; the average reached 3.3 psi and the maximum was 4.5 psi.
o All fruit quality characteristics were reported according to our standards.
o Vessel delays reported in the west coast this week. Fruit will be available on Thursday/Friday loading out of Hueneme.
o We enjoyed seeing some of you at Fruit Logistica in Berlin this past week- a pleasure as always!