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Happy Tuesday! Market intelligence in a few words...est. 2-3 minute read.

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Primary Thoughts: Almond Export Recovery May Get Complicated

The California Almond Export industry is booming, and recent shipments have recovered to pre-pandemic norms, exceeding historical norms in December 2023 - per the most recent shipment data from the Almond Board of California.

• The only higher shipments in any December in recent years were seen in the 20/21 season after the pent-up demand / high carry-out from the Pandemic. 

This is good news for California’s almond exporters, showing demand remains high, even against the backdrop of a strong US dollar and the recent shipping issues in primary transit lanes such as the Panama Canal due to drought and the Red Sea area from ongoing hostilities stemming from the October 7th attacks in Israel. 

• Much media attention has been given to transitory negatives like inflation, the costs of shipping increasing, and weak currency pairing against the US dollar - these are all traditionally headwinds for US agricultural exports.

• It remains to be seen if these issues will affect future almond exports or not, only time will tell.

Reality Check: Even the pandemic, a once-in-a-lifetime disruption, did not END global shipping, the import/export trade, nor reduce US almond exports generally over the long term. 

• The world is a dangerous place and it always has been, risks and opportunities are ALWAYS present, it just depends on what you want to see.

Year-over-year Total US almond exports remained even, showing a slight decrease from the 2021/2022 marketing year over the most recently completed 2022/2023 marketing year. 

• Even though shipments have recovered thus far in the 2023/2024 marketing year, last year saw many headwinds such as currency fluctuations, inflation, and increased shipping costs that all may have contributed to stagnant export growth.

This is not a surprise as we have seen the world rebound from the global pandemic with supply chains adapting to the newest market realities. 

• It is worth noting, that every year since the pandemic has generated substantial growth when compared to PRE-PANDEMIC levels. 

• This means BOTH California’s almond production AND the world’s appetite for this specialty tree nut continue to GROW despite all these headwinds.

California almond producers continue to refine the efficiency & efficacy of almond processing, leading to some of the lowest levels of loss & exempt product ever.

• These improvements in efficiencies help to improve productive margins for shellers and exporters as well as increase the total production available for export. 

• As can be seen in the graphic above, the total crop size for the 2022/2023 marketing year is the lowest in the past 3 years, although still slightly higher than before the pandemic.

We expect the smaller crop size from last year has affected the carry-in for this year, leading to strong early season shipments, with higher prices, and less total availability for export grade NPX #1 as the marketing year progresses.

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A MESSAGE FROM ANDERSON EXPORTS

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Optimism Grows

Disruption Continues

There has been much reason for pessimism these past few years between the pandemic, supply chain issues, the current war in Europe, and perhaps most notably the incredible disruptions caused by the internet. 

• I think nothing more clearly illustrates our transition to the Information Age as global citizens than the myriad “mass scale events”’ seen across every business sector, nation, language, and religion in the last decade. 

The NotPetya attack on A.P. Moller-Maersk, the Arab Spring, Isis’ foreign recruiting abilities, the US Capitol Riot, Syrian / North African migrations, the rise of cryptocurrencies like Dogecoin, the Reddit thread WallStreetBets causing huge Hedge Fund losses on the stock of Gamestop, and many more that are too numerous to list here.  

• The overarching commonality between these movements / events is that they are almost entirely organized through, or the direct result of, the internet.

This is perhaps the single most influential revolution in our lifetimes and I highly recommend reading, The Sovereign Individual, for an eye-opening perspective on this transition.

Optimism Grows

With all that being said, I view 2023, 2024, and beyond with great optimism - I find 3 main reasons:  

1. ENERGY - The recent nuclear fusion reaction at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California that, for the first time in history, produced more energy than it consumed.
    

   • This is a major milestone for clean energy and a carbon free future.
      

   • Wall Street, Private Equity, and Venture Capital are increasingly more likely to invest into hard science based startups these days over taxis and food.
      

2. LOGISTICS - The supply chain related slowdowns from COVID-19 have largely dissipated with many routes back to normal and fewer rolled bookings.

   • Hopefully this leads to more consistent cash flows.
      

3. TRAVEL - With China finally lifting the longest running COVID-19 related restrictions, and almost everywhere else eliminating inbound quarantines I expect to see business travel rebounding over 2023 and 2024.

Almond Shipments Return to Historic Norms

Total annual California Almond Exports experienced truly unprecedented disruption during the 2019 / 2020 marketing year due to COVID-19.  

• Since Anderson Exports started tracking the shipment data during the 2014 / 2015 season, California almond exports have continued steady growth year over year.

Total annual exports in 2019 / 2020 were an exceptionally low 753.78 million lbs with a massive rebound in 2020 / 2021 leading to a record breaking (so far) total annual exports of 2.09 billion lbs.

• Based on recent monthly California almond export data, we expect the 2022 / 2023 season to post strong total annual shipments showing continued growth.

Almond shipments may be off to a slow start in the 2022 /2023 marketing year with October and November reporting their lowest export levels in some time.

• This could be a result of the record breaking shipments in 2021 / 2022 leading to a lower than normal carryout, or it could be the result of a strong US Dollar, or some combination of both.

We suspect December shipments should recover more inline with historic trends, although the effects of purchasing power / currency differences this marketing year will not be known for some time.

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Strong US Dollar

Major Currency Differences Contribute to Export Issues

The United States Dollar (USD) remains strong globally; the US dollar continues to appreciate against other currencies with the US dollar Index increasing 15% since June 2021.

• A strong dollar may reflect solid fundamentals of the US economy, but it makes all US exports more expensive to regular importers overseas.

Americans will love spending their dollars in London and Europe, while US domestic producers are forced to cut costs and shave profit margins to compete with other origins.

• While a strong dollar creates some market turmoil, it continues to prove to international investors the value of US based assets.

California In-Shell Walnut Prices Down

California’s inshell walnut exports are off to a rocky start as we have seen slow forward sales in the face of a strong US dollar.  

• Turkey is historically one of the top destinations for California in-shell walnuts and major currency differences between the TRY and USD continue to put downward pressure on prices.

With traditionally major players sidelined, California in-shell walnut shipment numbers for the 2022 / 2023 marketing year will likely be off to a slower start than past years.

• Downward pressure on opening prices could be due to a number of factors like currency differences, increased shipping costs, and others. 

The difficult thing to know at this stage is if price decreases reflect a strong dollar where demand surfaces at the right price levels or if recent price decreases represent weaker demand generally.

Almond Shipments “Normal” in September

A record number of almonds were exported from California in August, with September landing back in more “normal” territory. 

• A “normal” month like September may hide an abnormal marketing year like 2021/2022; export shipments for the 21/22 marketing year were back loaded, bucking historic trends

This shows shipments have recovered but may now be following a much more erratic and unanticipated trajectory due to several kinetic pressures.  

• This could mean good news for almond shippers on an annual basis, although the first half of the marketing year may provide less than anticipated cash flows.

California’s 2022 almond forecast is down over last year - 2022 production is forecast at 2.60billion meat pounds, down 11 percent from last year’s crop of 2.92 billion meat pounds.

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New Crop & Organic Sugar

California’s Drought Persists

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California continues to experience historic drought conditions; it was recently reported that 16 of the state’s 17 largest reservoirs started September below, or well below, historic average levels. 

• California’s outlook may not improve in the near term, as the water year has not yielded the snowpack many had hoped for, with April 2022 snow depths almost 40% below normal.

The numbers are dire in the Central Valley, while the Sacramento region has seen closer to normal rainfall this year. 

• The Fresno Area has seen 50% of average rainfall in the last 11 months.

Almond Forecast Down 11 Percent, Shipments Recover

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A record number of almonds were exported from California in June, a major departure from historic trends. 

• Typically October reports the most shipments in any given marketing year for California almonds, yet June 2022 reversed the usual annual rhythm.

This shows shipments have recovered greatly in the second half of 2022 as the global shipping backlog reaches greater equilibrium.  

• This could mean good news for almond shippers heading into the 2022 / 2023 marketing year and potentially more favorable cash flow projections.

California’s 2022 almond forecast is down over last year - 2022 production is forecast at 2.60 billion meat pounds, down 11 percent from last year’s crop of 2.92 billion meat pounds.

• Nonpareil is forecast at 1.00 billion meat pounds, 12% below last year - the Nonpareil variety represents 38% of California's total almond production.

California In-Shell Walnut Exports Down

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California’s total exports for in-shell walnuts saw the lowest total shipments of any of the last 4 marketing years. 

• The Middle East & Africa continue to be the top destinations for California in-shell walnuts with Europe in a distant second.

It is interesting to note that the shipment numbers for the 2021 / 2022 marketing year were notably lower in total shipments than the initial COVID years. 

• This could be due to a number of factors like regional drought conditions, cyclical resting of trees, shipment related issues, and others.

The potential good news is that California’s in-shell shipments are poised to recover and could see strong growth as container shipping issues ease entering the Christmas / New Year period.

Buy Bulk Organic Brazilian Sugar

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Anderson Exports is proud to be working directly with one of Brazil’s top Organic Sugar Usines - selling bulk Brazilian Organic cane sugar in addition to Ethanol. 

• Our partners have a combined 5.3 million metric ton milling capacity per crop and 142.6 thousand m3 of Ethanol storage capacity.

Low Pol, Golden Light, and Extra Light Organic Brazilian sugar is available with ICUMSA values from 400 - 751+.

• Volume available depends on the type of sugar needed and port of destination as Organic regulations differ from country to country.

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Please specify packing - 1,000 kg Big Bags and 25 kg / 50 lb Bags are most popular

• Please specify port of destination so that we can quote including break bulk or container freight costs.

2022 Chinese Walnut Updates

Direct from Yunnan:

“““

The 2021 old crop of walnut are coming to an end, most customers are focusing attention to the 2022 new crop walnut situation in China. I would like to share with the current state of new season & estimated time to market FYR.

185 / xin2 / xinfeng / 33 variety

The new crops will be earlier than before as high temperature at the origin. It is expected to start picking fresh green walnut with peel on 15 th August. Generally, it will take nearly 10 days for sun dired. 5kg fresh green walnut with peel will yield around 1kg dried inshell walnuts. The new crops walnut inshell raw materials will be available from middle of Sep, and walnut kernels will be available from end of Sep. The quantity of all varieties has increased this season.

Traditional variety

The fresh green walnut with peel, picking period starts from about 7 th Sep. It will be picked & peeled successively. After generally sun drying 5-7 days, start to shelled . walnut kernels will be into market at the end of Sep.

The production of 2022 crop is expected to increase about 20% compared with last year due to no severe weather effect.

Yunnan variety

Walnuts are expected to be delayed nearly 10-20 days compared with last season because of heavy rain & lower temperature in July. Farmer will pick fresh green walnut with peel from 20 th Aug and peeling from end of Aug ---beginning of Sep.It will take about 3-7 days for drying. Walnut in-shell will be produced around 10 th Sep, and walnut kernels will be produced from mid of Sep. It is predicted that Yunnan walnut fruit will increase around 20%, the quality will be very nice at large size & high plumpness due to sufficient rain.

Did “GROM” Disguise Nuclear Mobilization?

The New Nuclear Age - 1 Man, 1 Bomb, Global Domination

Gone are the days when nations threatened other nations with nuclear destruction - today the almost inconceivable power of just owning nuclear weapons allows any state, or perhaps more jarringly, any single individual person to hold the world hostage to their whims.

It is likely we are now entering a new nuclear age that will allow for nuclear proliferation to private corporations and even motivated / ambitious individuals. One need look no further than Putin’s ability to operate with impunity over decades due to this pandora’s box.

As written about by Dr. Peter Pry in “The Nuclear 9/11 In Or Future” there is a very real possibility /probability for a surprise Russian nuclear attack in the near term. Read full text at link above and excerpts below:

"““
DNI Haines and the press suggest that Putin’s declared “special mode of combat duty” for nuclear forces, because it corresponds to no known Russian defense condition, is “just bluffing.”

On the contrary, use by Russia of a special readiness condition unknown to the U.S. intelligence community should be very worrisome.

The intelligence community accurately assessed Russia’s “exercise” of tank armies and other conventional forces on Ukraine’s border was really disguising an invasion.

Strangely and inconsistently, DNI Haines does not even consider that Russia’s nuclear forces exercise “Grom” (Thunder), conducted just prior to invading Ukraine, probably disguised Russian mobilization

for possible nuclear war.

U.S. strategic cultural aversion to “thinking about the unthinkable” and intelligence community biases would virtually guarantee failure to warn of an adversary potential or actual surprise nuclear attack.
””"

Dude, Where’s My Metaverse?

The embodied internet is Web 3.0

Meta (the artist previously known as Facebook) currently proposes a seemingly clunky VR experience that relies entirely on tricking your optic nerves into "seeing" depth perception in a world displayed on a flat screen hanging an inch in front of your nose.

This means to truly have an all encompassing VR experience, the user will require not just optic nerve stimulation but also olfactory stimulation through the nose, acoustic stimulation through the ears, full body haptic feedback for the skin, and the ability for the users physical body in the physical universe to move (i.e. run on a treadmill, aim a weapon, etc.) so that their metaverse avatar will respond accordingly (think Steven Spielberg’s characters in the dystopian “Ready Player One”).

The user requires an enormous amount of equipment, seeming more similar to a medieval knight in full battle attire than a user casually plugging into their virtual life(ves).

Let’s call this particular option to experience virtual reality the “Embodied Internet”. Is this really a step change or just a cell phone strapped to my face? Does this really make me in any sort of metaverse?

Web 4.0 will be Bodiless

Enter the Brain-Machine Interface (BMI)/ Brain-Computer Interface (BCI). A BMI is a direct communication pathway between external devices and the electrical signals of the brain.

This is the central technology behind Elon Musk’s company Neuralink. Thus far, Neuralink seems to be the only actual metaverse CAPABLE company.

Instead of strapping up like Scuba Steve, Neuralink could offer the ethereal capability of giving the user the ability to effortlessly navigate virtual reality and the internet as a bodiless, INTELLIGENT, and dreamlike experience. Guided imagination is the ultimate Virtual Reality. Neuralink technology does not require any external equipment for consistent physical stimulation of sensory organs; currently an experience that delivers information with varying levels of accuracy and granularity, through worn-on-the-body devices.

Compare the body worn VR experience to a Neuralink like BMI with micron-scale threads that are inserted into areas of the brain that control movement, feeling, vision, etc. While external based VR hardware is bulky and awkward, BMI VR hardware is small - essentially imperceptible to both the user and observers of the user. These BMIs will be able to stimulate the precise areas and voltages of a user’s brain synapses to internally project both individual and networked / socially merged virtual worlds of currently unimaginable detail, scope, and complexity. 

The closest parallel may be to imagine the experience of a lucid dream, or dreams, where you can manipulate a limitless universe across endless space and time, at will...aka, Metaverse(s). 

Not only will BMIs offer the ability to enjoy virtual worlds, they will also allow your conscious mind to instantaneously search and retrieve information from public, or private, internet databases. BMIs will truly augment the user’s reality in ways more similar to The Matrix than today’s Oculus based VR systems that are essentially View-Masters on a helmet. BMIs will provide a user experience that seamlessly integrates with human’s physical reality and biology.

Implications for the future

Will the Haves who receive the first successful, and likely expensive, BMIs radically surpass the intellectual and productive capabilities of the Have Nots who cannot yet afford to upgrade to a BMI and the Will Nots who refuse to “upgrade” on moral / religious grounds?

From a user experience and productivity* perspective, BMIs may alter the course of human evolution as we know it. If we do not currently live in a simulation, the not so distant future may allow it**. 

*Tests and professional examinations as we know it could be eliminated and replaced instead with a dynamic market of database products to upload to your BMI. These products, like computer programs, will be sold with the working and specific knowledge needed to perform a trade or service in the physical world, or to perform a trade or service in a virtual world, or a program/virus to hire/hack into other BMIs and use/hijack the computational power of multiple linked brains/BMIs; all while projecting comfortable “dreams” for the hired/hijacked users. 

**With the mass adoption of Neuralink type devices, large portions of the global population may choose to indefinitely remain immersed in their virtual life.

Future Thoughts: Ransomware, Capital Flight, Drugs & Games

Ransomware - Reducing Returns to Physical Violence

As we enter 2022, I find myself posing the following question more and more:

• When in your life, and historically, have you ever heard of anyone holding the Police for ransom? And getting away with it… 

• What about holding for ransom American critical infrastructure that is securely within the geographic boundaries of the homeland, from outside the homeland and not provoking war?

• And that’s when it’s done on purpose. Even more destructive are State-backed cyberweapons that become victims of their own success and escape their original in-theatre deployments (NSA, GRU, PLA Special Units, etc.) - NotPetya holding global shipping company (Maersk)*, State oil companies (Rosneft), etc. for ransom and even destroying data regardless of if a ransom is paid or not.

*This is an interesting side note, and an argument for decentralized protocols as a matter of practice, not just accident - when global shipping conglomerate A.P. Moller-Maersk was hit by the spiraling NotPetya virus; only a single server that had lost power in Africa saved the entire corporate logs and global shipping from an unimaginable potential crisis. Someone should make a movie about recovering that server. (Read a great take in this full article here at wired.com.) 

Ransomware gives even individual actors the ability to affect large portions of a population for a fraction of the cost of traditional methods of suppression, causing chaos, and/or destruction. This means in the not so distant future, a private protection agreement with Kaspersky Lab may be able to virtually protect citizens better and in more ways than today’s publicly funded geographically local police forces with little or no IT skills. 

Capital Flight May Slow, but Won’t Stop

Infantry and gunpowder mean less than the reliability of your electricity and the speed of your fiber optic connection. FTX Arena in Miami and Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles are both in the United States (21% corporate tax rate), yet FTX is a Bahamas (0% corporate tax rate) based company and Crypto.com is based in Singapore (0% - 17% corporate tax rate).

As this balance of power shifts, the benefits provided by traditional industrial nations for the wealthiest citizens, of property rights and military protection in exchange for high tax rates, will be virtually eliminated. 

With the mass adoption of cryptocurrency and the existence of numerous sovereign zero tax jurisdictions, the world’s wealthiest citizens have already begun fleeing high tax jurisdictions with their capital. (See here and here.)

Various factors may slow this outflow of capital from high tax developed economies, although they are unlikely to eliminate it. 

The most obvious attempt to stem the tide was the June 2021 decision of the G-7 group of industrialized nations agreeing on a 15% global minimum corporate tax rate. The idea of this agreement is to prevent companies from avoiding taxes at home by parking corporate profits overseas. This of course only works if ALL nations agree, we have yet to see the Bahamas, Cayman Islands, etc. sign on to a global minimum over 0%. 

Another step to stem this tide has been to outright ban cryptocurrency as China and 8 other countries have done.

The final major factor that could slow the speed of capital flight is the Coronavirus and other future warfare/nature introduced pandemics. COVID-19 has greatly reduced the appeal of travel generally and has had the added effect of giving many jurisdictions globally an excuse to more tightly seal their borders and restrict immigration. 

Inequality and Discontent Increases, Drugs & Games

If this is all a bit disconcerting, the best advice for the coming years is to learn and practice a tolerance for adversity. Expect these trends to disorient the vast majority of citizens and further destabilize known norms in historically rich, stable nations. Rewards for production in today’s cyber economy will be increasingly unequal.

Discontent with this emerging reality is only amplified by social network technologies that also enable mass organization on unprecedented levels. Occasionally we celebrate the network power of these technologies in specific examples like the Arab Spring (which resulted in what is largely considered a net negative for countries like Egypt), or discount their power in enticing 7 million+ Middle Eastern migrants to uproot their lives and walk themselves into the Schengen, or even for a sizable mob of American Citizens to ransack their own capital*. 

*Proving again and again it is easy to destroy in a moment of passion but actually quite difficult to create and build a viable long-functioning social agreement. Rioters have much to say about grievance but little to offer as guidance about Artificial Intelligence, Nuclear Weapons, Automation, Planetary Defense, or next-generation energy production technologies.

For the advantages cyber-technology has given to some, it is likely that there is a bleak future facing the rest of the world and especially the poorest populations. As automation takes over the vast majority of hourly manual job opportunities there will be a growing unemployed or underemployed class of workers. Some of the more productive in this group may continue to perform gig based labor and pay taxes the wealthy avoid while others may find no meaningful labor or will be refugees of climate and will turn to recreational (such as the widespread legalization of Marijuana in the United States) or hard drug use* and virtual worlds/games**.

*For the 12-month period ending April 2021 America reached its highest annual opioid overdose deaths (a.k.a. “deaths of despair”) ever, a staggering 100,306 overdose deaths. Like individuals, Nations of limited means are also turning to drugs to become known Narco-States as an answer to flagging revenues (Syria, Honduras, Venezuela, Mexico, Netherlands, etc.).

**Online streaming, games, NFTs, and the Metaverse

Happy New Year - 2022

Happy New Year

I hope you all had a fantastic holiday and wish you a happy new year. 

Here in sunny Miami, Florida we celebrated a special milestone for Anderson Exports as we enter 2022. Anderson Exports has now been in business for over 5 years; with millions of pounds of product shipped, millions of dollars in sales, 18 countries served, and 108 successfully delivered contracts. 

We are so happy to be working with you all and look forward to expanding our business across the globe in 2022. 

Anderson Exports has exported a total of approximately 11 million pounds (11,000,000 lbs) of dried fruits and tree nuts over the past few years, totaling some USD $14,000,000 in sales.

The APEC Region makes up the lion’s share, some 65% of total aggregate export shipments, for Anderson Exports in the past 5 years. Turkey has made up the single largest country by export volume for Anderson Exports’ products. Malaysia, South Korea, and the Philippines have made up 2nd, 3rd, and 4th destination countries by total volume with a big surprise from Algeria to round out the top 5 export destinations for us since starting back in December of 2016.

Almonds

California Almonds saw their highest total annual Export Shipments in 2021 than in any year in history. 2022 by comparison is off to a more moderate start, more inline with previous years, if not below normal expectations. It is hard to see how significant effects on US Almond Exports from the freight / supply chain issues affecting many other products in 2021 were for the industry.

Prices are likely to reflect the available volume for shipment this year with most sellers pricing their inventory based closely on shipment reports.

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

The cranberry harvest in North America was lower than average, down some 30%+. All dried cranberry processors are in the process of figuring out 2022 pricing and a plan for allocation. With this low level of expected inventory, most will be offering to their long term buyers first.

Walnuts

We work with the best California 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) and Light Sorted Pieces (LSP).

Raisins

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.

Million Dollar Deals On An iPhone

Supply Chain Issues Continue, Anderson Exports Returns in 2022

Anderson Exports has decided to remain off the market this fall due to supply chain issues. Anderson Exports made the decision to sign only a fraction of the contracts we normally do during the busy harvest season. This has been a difficult and frustrating time for both exporters and buyers of those exports. We have seen major delays, rolled bookings, and missed vessels - all related to the backups being experienced on the US west coast.

As we enter 2022 we believe there will be some relief heading into the Lunar New Year and the first Quarter of 2022. Anderson Exports will be re-entering the market as we believe shipment bottlenecks will have a chance to catch up while most of Asia reduces production for a few weeks this winter. Our most optimistic expectations are for global shipping to reach some normalcy / equilibrium by April / May of 2022 - although with the Omicron variant now emerging in South Africa, this is hard to judge with too much confidence. 

We hope everyone has come through this past year learning valuable lessons in building anti-fragility and robustness into their future business strategies. We look forward to re-entering the market over these next few weeks and opening up orders on our major products again. Should you have current needs for any export related agricultural, chemical, petroleum, and bulk ocean freight needs, do not hesitate to reach out. 

We are also able to take on a limited number of private consulting projects for a fixed monthly fee. Please reach out should you wish to discuss the specifics of your financial or export project. 

Protect Yourself & Your Transactions

There are many fraudsters and time wasters on the internet - deluding themselves in their belief that they will become millionaires overnight in the bulk commodities trading business. This is unfortunately not the case, or everyone pinging your whatsapp would be wealthy already.

Please protect yourself from scams and well-meaning, but misguided and uneducated “brokers”:

• Almost no legitimate seller will require a cash prepayment for any of the bulk vessel transactions

  • I have heard many times about “sellers” requiring 30% up front for transactions in the millions of US dollars - DO NOT DO THIS!! 

  • It is a scam and you will never see that prepayment again. Real sellers require SBLC, DLC, or Bank Guarantees - all well known trade finance tools of credit - not huge cash deposits.

• Always meet a prospective seller in person AT THE SITE OF THEIR FACILITY with a trusted intermediary while it is running. Do not take claims for bulk products, or any internet sellers, at face value

  • One of the most common factors I see in failed export transactions is LAZINESS!

  • Do not be lazy, do your homework and protect your money.

• ALWAYS ASK YOURSELF - WOULD YOU TRUST YOUR $1, $10, or $100 MILLION DOLLARS WITH THIS PERSON / COMPANY? 

  • If the answer is ever anything less than ABSOLUTELY, do not walk, RUN AWAY from that “deal”.

• Human Connection is still the most valuable sales method. Phone Calls and an annual visit with your buyer / seller network is invaluable to a long and successful career.

• Email is not a substitute for talk time - PICK UP THE PHONE AND DIAL YOUR PROSPECTS, BUYERS, and SUPPLIERS. 

  • Not only will they know you and your firm better, you will also LEARN about conditions on the ground, as they happen*.

    • *Sun Tzu, Art of War - spies are a necessary strategic asset because unadulterated information is the most valuable for you and your organization.

Anderson Exports Expands Financial Offerings

Anderson Exports now has a financial partner, Bayside Funding Corporation (NMLS 2221998), which can offer investment and business financing. Bayside Funding Corporation specializes in Asset Backed loans - like those most common in real estate. If you make foreign income and are looking to purchase in the United States - please do not hesitate to reach out and we can make the necessary introductions. 

Bayside Funding Corporation can offer Hard Money, Bridge Financing, Construction & Project Financing, and Business Financing through its private lending network. Please reach out with any questions and financing needs. Please provide project summary, contracts currently in place, permits, current financial statements, current revenues and project revenue from financing. 

Chicken Feet Costs More than Chicken Meat

Chicken feet, or paws, these days are selling for a higher price than actual chicken meat. This is caused by the tremendous demand from mainland China and the APEC countries. Different markets have different preferences, of course, and while in China paws are in demand, in the USA, it is wings that demand the highest prices.

The value of paw exports from both North America and South America have increased each year with the USA becoming China’s dominant supplier in 2021, taking some 44.8% market share so far this year.

We have Whole Birds and Wings available from the USA and approved for Mainland China and the APEC region. We also have Paws from Mexico (avg. 24 grams / paw) - approved for Hong Kong, Thailand, Vietnam. Paws, feet, MJW, whole birds

Sugar

Anderson Exports is currently working with a Usine in Brazil. Please reach out with your ICUMSA 45 needs. If buyer is requesting 12,500 MT or more please also submit BCL, Draft LC, and / or Draft SBLC to be taken seriously. 

GMO & NON-GMO Soybeans

Anderson Exports is also working with both GMO and NON-GMO Soybean Usines in Brazil. We work only with the direct end buyer. We do not work with middlemen on these transactions, only the verifiable end user. Buyer and Seller will meet directly prior to finalizing any deal. 

Phosphoric Acid From China

We mainly offer thermal processing of 75%-85% phosphoric acid, including: food grade, tech grade, elec grade phosphoric acid, and PPA.

Please let us know which items you are interested in, and we will update you with our latest prices as our prices are updated each week.

Cranberries

The cranberry harvest in North America was lower than average, down some 30%+. All dried cranberry processors are in the process of figuring out 2022 pricing and a plan for allocation. With this low level of expected inventory, most will be offering to their long term buyers first.

Almonds

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 the best California 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) and Light Sorted Pieces (LSP).

Raisins

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.

Global Container Shortage & More

Global Container Situation

Bottlenecks, delays, and omissions are likely just beginning for global container ports. In recent months, COVID-19 related container shipping disruptions have grown to a fever pitch. Here in the US, we have seen the Ports of Oakland and Long Beach, primary ports for California agricultural export shipments, facing continued issues.

A combination of kinetic pressures has come to a head with massive trade imbalances between Asia and the rest of the world causing container shortages and shipping costs to skyrocket. Prices on 20’ and 40’ containers have seen eye water increases in just the last months. Shortages, higher shipping costs, and widespread unexpected disruptions are likely expected through 2021. The situation is a culmination of these trade imbalances, labor shortages, and reduced capacity across global logistics chains - all due to COVID-19.

Add to this, anecdotes of many importers in Asia paying premium rates to ship empty containers back ASAP, causing many of the global shipping majors to refuse or reject outbound bookings from the US and others to expedite the return of containers for exporters in Asia.

This disruption to global container availability, pricing, and turnaround times will cause a decrease in available supply for innumerable products - which in turn will cause an increase in demand for these same products. Predictably, this dynamic will result in increased consumer costs / higher prices for US exports - which could eat into profits and potentially force buyers to find alternative supply origins or product substitutions.

Almonds

Last September, we discussed - “shipments in August of 2020 reached an astonishing 127.12 million lb, a nearly 50% increase from August 2019 and a record for any August.”

At that time, California’s monthly almond export shipments history looked like this:

Fast forward to the most recent shipment report for May 2021 and we see the highest California Almond Exports on record in EVERY month but January 2021 of the current marketing year.

This is considerable growth during what has been a difficult year for most industries.

Global demand for California almond products continues to grow - showing there is yet no ceiling on market capacity for California’s most popular tree nut. In fact, the current marketing year for California Almonds will post the largest total volume of export shipments on record.

As we approach new crop in California, it remains to be seen what the ultimate effects of 2021’s historic drought conditions will be for the Western US, and specifically, California’s agriculture as we enter the warmest months of the year.

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

California walnut shipments have seen a marked recovery from 2019 / 2020, with sizable increases in both total exports of shelled and in-shell products in the 2020 / 2021 marketing year. The United States has recovered much of its walnut shipments of previous years.

As with all crops in California this year, it remains to be seen what the effects of the historic drought conditions in California will be on nut sizes, nuts per set, and opening prices for the 2021 / 2022 marketing year.

With shipments recovering expect strong opening prices and fierce competition for California Chandler In-Shell Walnuts should crop size be reduced due to environmental factors as demand could outstrip supply. Only time will tell.

We work with the best California 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) and Light Sorted Pieces (LSP).

Raisins

California Natural Thompson Seedless Selects and Dried-on-the-vine (DOV) raisin prices continue to climb higher as spot purchases and forward contracts take into account the global container shortages and strong sales in the 2020 / 2021 marketing year. Expect California raisin prices to continue to firm as we approach new 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. We offer multiple packaging options including custom boxes with client branding, supplier branded boxes, and blank unbranded boxes.

Almond Record, Walnuts & Raisins Harvested

Almonds

Actual Loss & Exempt percentages for the 2019 / 2020 Marketing Year were 1.8%, which resulted in a positive adjustment of +4,024,490 pounds from the 2.0% forecasted. This year over year decrease in Loss & Exempt percentages likely means that processing by California almond packing plants is improving and/or the yield per tree may also be improving. Although, it is most likely that these gains are from mechanical process improvements by processors in California. This steadily improving Loss & Exempt percentage is a testament to the top quality of California’s processing methods, people, and equipment.

Crop size alone is not the full story. Improvements in Loss & Exempt mean more almonds are “saved” each year in ADDITION to the annual increase in crop size generally from net new plantings over time. Therefore, each year, California packers are generating an additional output that was untapped in the previous year.

Put simply, California is actually producing even more almonds than we forecasted.

While California is producing more almonds than it ever has, global demand continues to grow - showing there is yet no ceiling on market capacity for California’s most popular tree nut. In fact, shipments in August of 2020 reached an astonishing 127.12 million lb, a nearly 50% increase from August 2019 and a record for any August.

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

California Walnuts are entering their harvest season with the marketing year just getting started. Many sellers have been hesitant to enter the market with the larger Chandler Jumbo size in-shell walnuts due to the average nut size being down slightly this year and the risk of overbooking large sizes before the bulk of the harvest has come in.

Year-to-date shipments of California walnuts improved slightly in August, although the 2019/2020 marketing year still lags significantly behind the record breaking 2018/2019 marketing year. Export shelled shipments and Domestic shelled shipments were nearly on par with the previous year, while in-shell shipments remained significantly down.

Given that California is expecting to see a record breaking harvest for walnuts this year and should COVID-19 related slowdowns improve, it could be argued that we will see export shipments of in-shell walnuts not only recover, but also set new records in the 2020 / 2021 marketing year.

We work with the best California 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) and Light Sorted Pieces (LSP).

Raisins

California’s raisin crop is progressing well with good weather in the last few weeks. The August 2020 Raisin Shipment Report was released recently, showing steadily increasing shipments for California raisins.

Of note is the large US Government purchase of California raisins in August of some 2,368 Packed Tons, which would have made the US government the single largest trading partner against all export destinations. This government buy is good news for the raisin industry as it takes pressure off of carry-in inventories and helps to bolster the price of US raisins as California’s quality and processing continues to be the global standard for both Thompson Seedless and DOV raisins.

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.

Record Walnut Crop & More

Recent Interview in Mundus Agri

Read my latest interview in Mundus Agri, here or click the image below.

Almonds

Exports for California Almonds reached another record for July shipments, the highest in any recent July at 111.98 million lbs. Despite the complications of COVID-19 and the related global disruptions for much of the world over this past year, California almonds have consistently performed with record shipments 5 out of 12 months this year. 

Global appetite for almonds continues to rise consistently and these shipment reports are direct evidence that even in the face of some of the worst disruptions seen in recent history, California almonds continue to perform at historic shipment levels. Expect to see continued investment in California almonds as this crop has continued to prove not only it’s value, but also it’s resilience in the face of adversity. We expect many suppliers to open prices at reasonable levels as many sellers are comfortably sold at this point in the year with the current crop and working to accommodate the upcoming new crop.

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

Similar to the most recent record breaking almond shipments, California’s 2020 walnut crop is on track to be the largest in history.

The 2020 Objective walnut measurement report was released this past week and the forecast is a record 780,000 tons up almost 20% from 2019’s production of some 653,000 tons. That is an estimated increase of over 100,000 tons in a single year. This increase in production, if it holds true, will no doubt influence the pricing as California’s market opens this fall. If the average nut size is smaller than last year, this could still cause the Jumbo sizes (32mm+ and up) to increase in price despite what will likely be a record total crop.

We work with the best California 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) and Light Sorted Pieces (LSP).

Raisins

2020 Raisin Administrative Committee Shipment Report was released recently showing steadily increasing shipments for California raisins from 2019 through July 31, 2020.  

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.

Recent Interview in Mudus Agri

Ready my most recent interview in Mudus Agri:

Words have power and I think the German government understands this implicitly. By examining the use of the word “race”, we can better understand the time in history our founding documents come from and work to ensure we update them to best reflect; not only on where we are, as a nation, but also where do we strive to be?

Most of the import / export trade runs on INCOTERMS, which up until this year were known as INCOTERMS 2010. As the world has changed and so have some legal definitions used in the trade of goods across transmodal international trade, January 2020 introduced INCOTERMS 2020. If the INCOTERMS need to be updated every 10 years, it could be argued that a regular auditing of the documents we use to literally administer the rule of law will be a similarly useful exercise.  

Now, I think it is important to reflect and examine the historic time we are currently experiencing. Historic virus propagation leading to widespread disruptions in almost everyone’s lives has perhaps drowned out the fact that August 6, 2020 also marked the 75th anniversary of the United States dropping a nuclear weapon on the city of Hioshima, Japan.

Lost in the onslaught of news today is the ongoing and very real threat of nuclear annihilation. The bomb used on Hiroshima killed an estimated 146,000 within days of the blast. By comparison, the US has lost slightly more (174,000 as of 8.21.2020) over the course of several months with ALL major cities contributing to the total death toll. Comparative suffering is not the point here, these examples simply show the power of a single nuclear blast.

Further, consider that today’s Thermonuclear weapons generate devastating explosive force that can be between 100 and 3,000 times more destructive than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

As the US, Europe, Russia, and China wade through the aftermath of the pandemic and its worst effects, it is essential for sober and coherent collaboration between all nuclear powers to ensure the enforcement of standards for nonproliferation are of the highest priority.

The recent blast in Lebanon has highlighted for many the basic infrastructure of ports and warehousing; things which are usually invisible to the average civilian yet vital to the functioning of all major economies. The blast in Lebanon was an accident with basic chemicals. Imagine a nefarious actor adding dirty nuclear material in a similar explosive attack on a major global port.

This kind of “dirty” bomb, and it’s radioactive fallout, would disrupt major global supply chains in ways it is hard to imagine, even today during the Coronavirus pandemic.

The risks of nuclear annihilation, the current pandemic, and the widespread global unrest we currently see over racial injustice must be faced in equal parts.

If the German people believe removing the word “race” from the constitution will bring us closer to the founding ideals of the nation, then it is a great step in the right direction.

I think updating our founding documents does not go far enough though. Bubbling up within the racial justice protests is a major economic component. It is not just about racial inequality, but also about economic inequality.

Perhaps it is worth thinking about how capital works in the 21st century and how it will need to work leading into the 22nd. Capital is at the heart of the global capitalist system and it worked for thousands of years in its current form - from transactions between individuals to the collection of taxes by sovereign nations.

But how does this system work when a handful of individuals and in the future, robots, make the majority of the income? (10% in the USA own some 70% of total wealth, while globally 8 men hold as much wealth as the bottom 50% combined) The ethics of taxing robots and companies' decisions to replace jobs traditionally held by human workers are small concerns compared to how the actual money system will work. Want to envision a new more just future, envision a new money system. 

Capital in the age of the internet presents us with a conundrum I call Hyper-Aggregations of Wealth - basically giant baskets of money with regular major inflows (and very little to no outflows) of capital; sitting in places like Bermuda, Ireland, Panama, Malta, Cyprus, and a million other such locations. Reagan called his economics “trickle-down” - let’s call these economics of today’s web monopolies, “flushing-up”.

Historically, financial transactions were between individuals - one can only sell so many items to so many people in a limited geographic area. Today, companies like Amazon and Alibaba have the ability to reach not just every citizen of the nations where they were established, but the internet enables these businesses to potentially reach EVERY global citizen.

Governments have long standing and extremely well litigated agreements with their citizens to collect taxes within their borders, while these internet companies have no such geographic or publicly decided constraints. And unlike governments, who then use tax revenues for re-investment in the public good, ex. Maintaining and operating a nuclear arsenal, fighting pandemics - internet monopolies privatize their gains amongst a handful of fortunate men (and it is almost always men).

In our winner take all economies, internet entrepreneurs are at the intersection of intelligence / innovation and pure blind luck. Did you, or do you, have access to the internet? Should this really be the basis upon which we reward and allocate the largest financial gains ever seen in modern history?

Is the work of a single Jeff Bezos that much more valuable than the armies of men and women who work for a few dollars per hour / per day growing, harvesting, and transporting the food for the supply chains that service Whole Foods and/or even end up on Mr. Bezos plate?

These are difficult questions with no easy answers, but are questions we must think deeply on if we truly want to address inequality, of all types, in this historic moment. 

Walnuts, Raisins & More

Almonds

Many packers are reporting from the fields that the recent NASS USDA Objective Measurement Almond Report for 2020 is in line with internal expectations for a crop of 3.0 billion lbs. There is little doubt this will be a record breaking production year for California almonds. This record breaking crop size in combination with the recent COVID related disruptions of export products will create a buyer’s market this fall.

As you can see from the June 2020 Almond Board of California Position Report, California almonds have seen a marked recovery from lows in April and May to the 2nd highest export shipments seen in any recent June.

Periods of favorable pricing in combination with a large crop tend to have positive long-term effects for the larger market. Intuitively, lower prices may mean lower margins, but counter-intuitively, in the long-term the primary lagging benefit of lower pricing means California Almonds may be more accessible to a larger spectrum of buyers, therefore opening new global markets, often permanently.

While it seems almond prices will open reasonably for the 2020 / 2021 marketing year, it could be argued that the year may close with higher prices than normal. If California almonds reach both new and current global markets and monthly shipments reach new international highs through 2021 then, as Bill Morecroft and Blue Diamond note, “Demand in the U.S. could have even more future upside since the U.S. is earlier in the recovery process than the other developed economies.” If these predictions bear out in 2021, we may only continue to see the meteoric rise of global almond appetites in step with continued investments in 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 California Walnuts have seen decreases in total year-to-date shipments as a result of a complex set of factors largely related to COVID-19 related disruptions, high 2019 / 2020 opening prices, and increasing competition from alternative origins in California’s traditional export markets.

Walnuts

California Walnuts have seen decreases in total year-to-date shipments as a result of a complex set of factors largely related to COVID-19 related disruptions, high 2019 / 2020 opening prices, and increasing competition from alternative origins in California’s traditional export markets.

When observing the lower shipments in 2019 / 2020 over this time last year, the immediate thought is that COVID-19 seems like the most likely culprit. But upon closer inspection, we see that although Total YTD In-Shell shipments are down markedly, shelled shipments are only down slightly. Further, most in-shell shipments are completed earlier in the year than shelled shipments, so should have avoided the worst effects of the recent global slowdowns. Therefore, it seems something else must be related to the lower total in-shell shipments specifically.

Perhaps what we are witnessing is what could be described as Middle-Stage Global Production Diversification (GPD). I would describe Global Production Diversification as a rough scale between; monopolistic power over global production (Early-Stage GPD) and widespread, decentralized, price-driven global production (Late-Stage GPD). A good set of examples from within California would be:

Early-Stage GPD - Almonds are a good example of Early-Stage GPD due to the dominant, nearly monopolistic, position California maintains producing approx. 80% of the World’s almonds.

Middle-Stage GPD - Walnuts are a good example of Middle-Stage GPD since California still remains one of the largest producers while other regions are beginning to win increasing market share - origins like China are just beginning their investment and upward trajectory for walnut exports.

Late-Stage GPD - Raisins are a good example of Late-Stage GPD since production is almost entirely price-driven by fierce global competition between nearly equal or increasingly similar regional outputs from the USA, Turkey, Iran, and China.

If the lower total YTD in-shell shipments are the result of Middle-Stage GPD, then California’s traditional buyers may be beginning to substitute other growing regions into their annual purchasing decisions. Unfortunately for California’s walnut growers - evidence for this substitution is already available. Turkey, California’s largest traditional in-shell export market, is increasingly filling their needs with a lower priced Chinese product.

California’s opening prices for the 2020 / 2021 marketing year would do well to take note of these pricing dynamics and open at reasonable levels. California walnut crop looks to be developing quite well with many sellers waiting to offer larger sizes (32mm+, 34mm+) until after the Objective Walnut Measurement Report is released near the end of August / beginning of September.

Across the Pacific, the harvest for Xinjiang, China’s 185 new crop walnuts will likely have a small increase over last year. Reports from the fields indicate the new crop was not affected by bad weather as it was at this time last year and therefore the quality is expected to be higher than last year.

Demand for Chinese walnuts was large last year and we expect this will only grow in the coming seasons.

We work with the best California 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) and Light Sorted Pieces (LSP).

Raisins

The June 2020 Raisin Administrative Committee Shipment Report was recently released, showing significant and positive growth trends for California Raisin sales. Domestic shipments were up +27% over this time last year while Exports were up +16%.

The USA continues to be California’s largest market, representing some 72% of all shipments in the 2019 / 2020 marketing year. Exports, nearly ⅓ of total shipments (28%), have risen in the most important markets in signs of growing confidence with California’s quality and market premium.

California, Turkey, and Iran, which are typically the largest producers of raisins, are seeing increasing competition from China as price and quality become competitive. China will have a real opportunity to fight for market share with the increasingly good quality of Turkish raisins. Europe’s discount buyers have been quick to recognize the value of Chinese raisins which will continue to drive the competitive market dynamics between the world’s largest raisin producers.

Reports from the fields in China’s Xinjiang region is that the harvest this year will see grapes developing well due to abundant sunshine and rainfall. Quality looks great.

The new crop of Turkish Raisins is developing well despite erratic weather conditions. We have heard that some important growing areas faced significant damage to vineyards due to hail and heavy rains. Despite this, we believe Turkey will ultimately have a good 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. We offer multiple packaging options including custom boxes with client branding, supplier branded boxes, and blank unbranded boxes.

Made in the USA - Face Masks & N95 Respirators

We are selling 3-ply surgical and non-surgical face masks as well as N95 Respirators. The products are all manufactured in the USA, are FDA registered, and the N95 Respirators are receiving their NIOSH approval.

As the data becomes increasingly clear, face masks and N95 respirators help to prevent the spread of the novel Coronavirus. We are able to offer for large volume inquiries only at this time, subject to final confirmation:

• 3-ply masks - USD $0.50 / unit Ex-Works

• N95 Respirators - USD $3.50 / unit Ex-Works

Pistachios

California’s pistachio crop is progressing well due to favorable weather conditions in recent weeks. Many sellers are currently assessing their sold positions and estimated new crop inventories to determine their strategy in making forward contracts. Pricing for the new crop is expected to remain stable, while global demand continues to stay high.

We supply both in-shell and pistachio kernels from California's highest quality packers.

Sunflower

Due to adverse weather conditions and a short crop in the 2019 harvest, much of the US sunflower industry is looking forward to the new crop harvest. Many buyers saw prices rise sharply from the opening of the season last year until now due to this unpredicted short crop.

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.

Cranberries

Both USA and Canadian cranberry crops are progressing well. The quality this year looks to be excellent. Demand for Sweetened Dried Cranberries (SDC) had softened in the early part of 2020 leading to lower prices with little increase in sales regardless. Demand has begun picking back up after what is traditionally a slower summer sales season, yet it remains to be seen how ongoing COVID-19 related disruptions will affect the coming new crop pricing. Many buyers at this stage are buying hand-to-mouth with only the larger buyers booking extended forward contracts.

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, Air Cargo & More

Almonds

The 2020 USDA NASS Almond Objective Measurement Report was released this week and California’s 2020 almond crop is estimated to be the largest on record. Data from the fields is showing that favorable weather during April & June, mated with increases in bearing acreage and ample water supply have converged to produce this year’s record setting estimated total production of California Almonds at 3.00 billion meat pounds (lb). 

This year’s crop is a full 18% larger than the 2019 crop. Notably, the production for Nonpareil almonds is closing in on almost half (43% as of 2020) of all almond varieties grown in California. NP production for 2020 is estimated at 1.30 billion meat pounds, up some 24% vs 2019.  

For all almond varieties taken together, the nut sets per tree increased over 20%. 2020 Nonpareil average nut sets increased almost 30% over the 2019 crop. Despite more nuts per tree, the average size of the nuts (or kernel weight) was down 2% for all varieties vs 2019.

There is something curious in the data this year that is not seen in any previous years. When looking at the average nuts per tree by region, all years before 2020 (2016 - 2019) show a relatively similar pattern. The North region produces the 3rd most, or lowest number of average nuts per tree, the Central region typically produces the 2nd most, and the South region produces the most average nuts per tree. 

In 2020, we can see a radical reversal of this past trend with the North region now producing the MOST average nuts per tree and the South region producing the LEAST. 

Also of note is the cyclical pattern for the Central region, showing a growth pattern of intermittent “resting” years followed by bumper crops. 

Finally, one can also see that the South region, despite increasing bearing acreage, has consistently produced LESS average nuts per tree year-over-year, the ONLY region in California to exhibit a consistent downward trajectory. The North region, for reasons I am unsure of at this time, radically reversed this downward trend in 2020. 

Without digging deeper, it is hard to know the cause of this radical shift - was there more bearing acreage coming online in 2020 in the North vs the South? Were there water access issues? Is the difference climate or weather related? Did pollinators have different flight habits based on geography?

While it is hard to point to any single factor causing the variation by region seen in the Average Nuts Per Tree in 2020, it will be worth keeping an eye on these trends. Should the trends of 2020 continue, new almond investors may do well to look north for better potential ROI in the new decade.

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

The Walnut Board of California shipment report for June 2020 was released this past week and YTD In-shell exports are down -16% vs this time in 2019. By comparison, total YTD exports of Shelled walnuts are only down some -3.09%. 

Reports from the fields have many suppliers thinking that the crop looks big for 2020. There are some concerns the quality of the nuts may be diminished due to above average temperatures in some growing regions, although it is likely too early to tell the extent of any such damage. It seems California will open in-shell pricing lower than the current price in Chile, which should facilitate early sales of California walnuts.

As the shipment report for June 2020 shows, year-to-date shipments of in-shell walnuts are down primarily in the Middle East / Africa region - down  some -25% in 2020 vs 2019. Both the U.A.E. (-43,27%) and Pakistan (-98.62%) were down considerably in 2020 over this time in 2019. Europe was up slightly by comparison. 

The big question for California in-shell sellers going into this fall will be if and how they will entice these buyers to come back to California. Due to current high prices for in-shell from other origins, it is likely that a lower opening price in California will push buyers back to the Central Valley. Conditions would be similar to the 2018 / 2019 season when many packers saw record shipments. 

One last note from the latest Walnut Board Shipment Report is that the 2018/19 Shellout rate - which was recorded at 44.2% - is slightly higher than the 2019/20 Shellout rate - 44.0%. As many walnut growers report what they believe will be a large crop, we see a similar trend; California walnuts, like almonds, may have more average nuts per tree but a lower average kernel weight in 2020 vs 2019.

We work with the best California 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) and Light Sorted Pieces (LSP).

Air Cargo Opportunity - Chicago to Frankfurt

There is a limited window to secure space on a weekly flight between Chicago Rockford Airport and Frankfurt Hahn International Air Cargo Airport in Germany. This will be an ongoing weekly flight schedule for a minimum of 2+ years with an Anchor Client already secured & shipping product from Germany to Chicago on a weekly basis.

The opportunity is to book air cargo on the Empty Leg from Chicago, USA back to Frankfurt, Germany at greatly reduced rates, on a regular basis. The Anchor Client heavily subsidizes the air cargo shipment of your products. We can even help you find buyers if you have a high margin product and are interested in reaching new markets in Europe.

In most cases, we are able to deliver your product to buyers in Germany and other destinations in Europe within 24 - 48 hours.

Reach out directly if you are interested in learning more - erik@andersonexports.com

Scallops & Lobsters

The US Scallop Harvest began on April 1st, 2020. There is expected to be a harvest reduction of 12 M lbs over the next 12 months. This will bring the overall harvest down from around > 60 M to about 50 M lbs. The US Harvest Forecast Sizing is estimated to be approx. 15% U / 10’s, 70% 10 / 20’s, and 15%  20 / 30’s.

Current pricing trends for US scallops show prices falling due to COVID-19 earlier while June saw prices firming as food service demand begins to increase again. Current supermarket demand remains strong.

US Lobster processing has been impacted by COVID-19 more than some industries as Whole Cooked Lobster prices are mainly impacted by Asian markets, whereas Lobster Meat and Tails are mainly impacted by North American demand. 

Asian demand for Live Lobsters during Lunar New Year were off some 30 - 40% with Asian sales of Whole Cooked Lobster also seeing a sharp drop. While 2019 saw record high prices for Lobster Tails and higher prices for Lobster Meat, this year it seems demand for many lobster products has disappeared into thin air. 

As a result, catch quotas and in some cases, fishing days, were cut to reduce the harvest. With lower than usual prices in 2020 the retail sector enjoyed growth and helped to consume some of the excess inventory.

A5 Wagyu Beef - Authentic Japanese Wagyu

Authentic Japanese Wagyu beef has been, and remains, the global gold standard for refinement, exclusivity, distinctive fat marble, and rich flavor experience.

For more information, reach out and we can share our full Wagyu Product Guide and discuss your specific needs.

Made in the USA - Face Masks & N95 Respirators

We are selling 3-ply surgical and non-surgical face masks as well as N95 Respirators. The products are all manufactured in the USA, are FDA registered, and the N95 Respirators are receiving their NIOSH approval. 

As the data becomes increasingly clear, face masks and N95 respirators help to prevent the spread of the novel Coronavirus. We are able to offer for large volume inquiries only at this time, subject to final confirmation: 

• 3-ply masks - USD $0.50 / unit Ex-Works

• N95 Respirators - USD $3.50 / unit Ex-Works

Raisins

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.

Sunflower

Prices have risen sharply since the opening of the US sunflower harvest as supply has been diminished to a number of factors, including adverse weather during the critical growing season. Inventory is limited and prices are likely to remain high for the near future. 

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.

Cranberries

US and Canadian cranberry prices have come down from their previous levels at the beginning of the year. Many suppliers are assessing their inventory going into the harvest this fall. Many US sellers still have some inventory available for spot and forward contracts.

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, Raisins & More

CORONAVIRUS & PPE

Although the Coronavirus may be affecting some industries more than others, we have seen demand for dried fruits and tree nuts to be stabilizing after an initial sales bump for many edible consumer items due to citizens across the world preparing for extended periods at home. 

Read my latest interview in Mundus Agri, HERE.

We have also partnered with our import and export networks to facilitate the delivery of a number of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) products which are both CE and / or FDA registered. 

At this time, the market for PPE is quite volatile with the only available products being produced upon order. Our sellers have no inventory in stock at this stage of the pandemic and all new customers / orders will be considered on a case-by-case basis to ensure lead times.

You can view / download our current PPE catalog HERE.

ALMONDS

The 2019 NASS California Almond Acreage Report was released this past Thursday and showed a 8% increase in California’s bearing almond acreage between 2018 (1,090,000 acres) and 2019 (1,180,000 acres). Just five counties in California account for 72 percent of the total bearing acreage (Kern, Fresno, Stanislaus, Merced, and Madera).

Last year’s NASS estimate for 2019 bearing acreage was 1,170,000 with the 2019 actual bearing acreage just shy of this estimate at 1,180,000 bearing acres.

You can read the full NASS report HERE.

March exports of California Almonds were the 3rd highest on record for the month. March typically sees a bump in sales over the adjacent months. This year you see a steady decline from the highs of October and November. So many records were set this marketing year for total monthly export shipments that some packers are now well sold or even completely contracted for the remainder of the spring / summer. 

Despite the record monthly shipments in the 2019 / 2020 marketing year, there is still enough inventory to keep prices stable for the foreseeable future. Recent price stability could be attributed to an almost 12% increase in crop receipts to date (2019 / 2020) vs this time last year (2018 / 2019). The extra total production this year helps to offset larger price increases that could be expected from lower uncommitted inventory after the numerous record monthly export shipments for the 2019 / 2020 marketing year. 

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

The March 2020 Walnut Shipment Report was released and trends are beginning to emerge showing some measurable effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the end of March 2020 total year-to-date (YTD) export shipments of California in-shell walnuts were down -19% vs this time last year while total YTD export shipments of shelled walnuts were down just -5%. For the month of March 2020 total in-shell export shipments were down -45% vs March 2019, whereas total shelled export shipments for March 2020 were down -13%. 

As can be seen from the graphic, exports account for a very significant amount of the total walnut shipments from California and total YTD shipments are down from this time last year for all California walnut products.

We work with the best California 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) and Light Sorted Pieces (LSP).

RAISINS

The NASS California Grape Acreage Report, 2019 Summary was released this past week and California raisin bearing acreage is down 2%, some 3,000 total acres. This continues a trend of decreasing raisin bearing acreage in California. This is largely due to the voracious planting of Almond orchards year after year in California’s central valley. The rate at which California is losing raisin acreage has slowed in recent years, helping to keep the supply and also prices for California raisins relatively stable. 

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.

PISTACHIOS

US pistachio prices have been stable in recent weeks with many suppliers comfortably sold. As with most California tree nut products, shipments of pistachios are not likely to be affected by the Coronavirus related disruptions. It remains to be seen what will come from, and after, the USA / China Phase 1 trade deal. China is already a large buyer of California Pistachios and it is unclear if this consumption will remain steady or increase. 

We supply raw in-shell pistachios and raw pistachio kernels of all sizes, grades and styles. We also supply roasted Extra No. 1 pistachios and welcome your inquiries.

SOYBEANS & SUGAR

Demand for US and Brazilian soybeans from the APEC region has been high. Both US and Brazilian soybean production has generated healthy crops with good quality. We expect brisk sales to continue as China’s hog herds recover from the culling this past year due to African Swine Fever. Protein production requires large amounts of feed in addition to the global oilseed industry’s appetite for soy and it is a sellers’ market.

We supply GMO and Non-GMO Soybeans and Soybean Meal of all sizes, grades and styles.

From January through March 2020, Brazil has seen good rainfalls which have alleviated concerns that dry conditions across the sugarcane growing regions this past fall would adversely affect production. For the marketing year of 2020 and 2021 we expect to see large disruptions for Brazilian sugar and ethanol. Some believe the price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia will negatively impact the ethanol industry which will divert production away from ethanol to sugar production.

We provide sugar from sources in Brazil, Peru, and Thailand. 

PECANS

US Pecan sales saw a slight rise and have recently found stability in pricing. Weather has been favorable for the bloom for New Crop, although it is still too early to tell how this will ultimately affect total production this fall. 

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

SUNFLOWER

US sunflower seeds are in short supply due drastic weather events in the fall of 2019. Buyers who secured their forward contracts early have an advantage over those who are able to find spot offers in the current market as prices have risen over the past months.

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.

CRANBERRIES

The US and Canada have seen cranberry prices come down slightly since the highest demand periods of Thanksgiving and Christmas. Many buyers are working through their current stocks and only buying as needed for fear of currency issues related to COVID-19.

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.

BLUEBERRIES

We are looking at a potentially record crop in the Pacific Northwest as weather has been favorable. Weather has also been favorable in the Northeastern US which should yield a healthy blueberry crop for 2020 / 2021. 

We supply organic wild, cultivated and conventional cultivated dried blueberries as well as infused blueberry products. 

3-Ply Surgical Masks Available

3-ply disposable surgical masks direct from China. Our manufacturer can produce 500,000 - 1,000,000 masks per day. Not certified as N95. Product is produced by our FDA Registered Manufacturer and the masks are FDA Registered Class 1 medical devices. Please email erik@andersonexports.com for more information.

N95 Mask Fraud is Widespread

See the image below, the masks on the left are fake. Many crafty Chinese factories will claim to have N95 masks which are “registered for export to the USA”.

Even if a seller is registered with the FDA, you must check their registration through www.accessdata.fda.gov. You can search a foreign manufacturers FDA listings HERE. Many sellers of fraudulent N95 and KN95 masks will be listed with the FDA, as below, but they will be listed as “Class 1” which is NOT approved for use in healthcare applications and NOT a true N95 mask, just in NAME ONLY.

Click the images below to expand / see details.

View fullsize

Use the Owner/Operator Number to search the manufacturer with the FDA:

View fullsize

As the Pandemic spreads, unfortunately so do fraudsters! Please stay protected and be aware of N95 mask fraud. When in doubt, defer to an experienced import professional and the FDA. For any further questions or inquiries about Personal Protective Equipment from China, South Korea, and Taiwan please reach out via email, erik@andersonexports.com or WhatsApp, +1.406.471.2713, 24 hours a day.

We have the ability to source supplies, organize chartered air cargo service, and aid in constructing field hospital operations. Please check back often for products and other updates as we continue to monitor and mobilize our global networks to combat COVID-19.

Please use caution with any seller of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at this time and please stay safe and ensure we are importing only certified and rated protective medical products for our first responders at this critical time.

Coronavirus, Almond Record, & More

Coronavirus & Disruptions to Global Supply Chains

The spread of the 2019 novel Coronavirus disease, COVID-19, has become an inescapable fact of life across the globe. Many national governments have moved to cordon off entire cities and even regions in attempts to stymie the spread of this outbreak. At this stage, governments, businesses, and citizens are on reactionary footing; having lost the initiative for proactive measures once past the “community spread” (when the virus passes between individuals with no known connection to a local ‘patient zero’) stage of the contagion.

The disruptive effects from the spread of this novel disease can be seen in the world’s stock markets, air travel, and large gatherings / events being cancelled from Milan to Miami.

Despite the inevitable disruptions that will occur in the coming months to supply chains, businesses, and consumer behavior we can already see China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea and Singapore reporting their new cases leveling off or decreasing. This is good news as it shows that with the proper interventions, the spread of this novel virus can be slowed significantly within months, or even weeks.

A great resource for reliable and up-to-date information is the John Hopkins Center for Health Security website.

Expect major producers to come out with their own versions of COVID-19 Food Safety Standards & Practices to assure buyers their products are handled safely. I further expect disruptions to transport supply chains on a regional basis as each major vessel charter company and each importing country grapples with the challenges of containment.

Almonds

The Almond Board of California position report for February 2020 was released this past week and incredibly, export shipments of California almonds continue their bull run with another monthly all time record, marking record monthly shipments in 4 of the last 5 months; with 137.42 million pounds shipped in February. February 2020’s record just beat out Feb. of 17/18’s previous record of 136.38 million pounds.

California almonds have been progressing through the bloom period nicely. It has been reported that although bloom was a little slow to start this year, California’s central valley almond ranchers saw their trees go from 20% to 80% bloom in just 3 days. Further, the great weather has created ideal conditions for bee flight / pollination and some think the bloom may finish earlier this year than last year. All signs are encouraging for a good crop.

California almonds have continued to see strong global demand in the face of trade war related headwinds. It remains to be seen the breadth and depth of effects from the Coronavirus on California’s international tree-nut markets and only the Almond Board Position Reports and time will tell the effects on demand.

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

The Walnut Board of California shipment report was released recently for February 2020. Year-to-date In-shell export Shipments were down almost -18% year-on-year. YTD In-shell export shipments were down in February for all regions but Central & South America (+254.91%) and Europe (+2.97%). Specifically, Italy (+1.25%), Spain (+4.09%), and Germany (+19.48%) all increased their imports in 2020 over YTD shipments at this time in 2019.

YTD shipments to Pakistan are down an incredible -99.72% (traditional smuggling route for India), while other countries in the Middle East / African region such as Turkey (-3.93%), the UAE (-39.65%), Morocco (-39.26%) and Lebanon (-80.61%) were also down year-over-year.

The monthly differences in shipments between February 2019 and February 2020 were even more drastic. The U.A.E. was down some -93.86% with other countries in the region such as Turkey (-81.73%), Lebanon (-80.05%), and Pakistan (-100%) all down significantly.

With Turkey and the UAE two of California’s top export destinations for In-shell walnuts we are seeing a big reversal from just one year ago. It is likely that artificially high confidence in California’s in-shell prices early in the harvest was buoyed by last year’s record shipments. Although, it is hard to know for sure what causes such large market fluctuations as prices year-over-year are the result of a complex set of inputs ranging from currency differences, to uncertain political risks, international sanctions, and other unexpected events. 

Chile’s 2020 walnut crop is expected to fall short of the size of 2019’s crop. Some are reporting a decrease of somewhere between 100,000 - 120,000 tons. Much of this smaller crop is likely due to an extended drought. The drought is likely to not only affect the size of the crop, but also the quality of the nut sets. We are seeing high prices being offered for Chile walnuts as compared to California. 

We work with the best California 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) and Light Sorted Pieces (LSP).

Pistachios

Global pistachio demand continues to grow while supply has essentially remained steady. Largely supply remains steady due to resting trees off cycle of each other with the USA and Turkey resting on the same annual cycle, while Iran, a major competitor to the US, has an annual resting cycle opposite the US and Turkey. This allows a more steady supply year-on-year, although global demand continues to outpace essentially flat global supply. As a result, pistachio processors in California have seen prices continue to increase. Even though a record crop is expected in California this year, global supply will still remain about even vs last year. This will keep prices firm for the foreseeable future.

We supply raw in-shell pistachios and raw pistachio kernels of all sizes, grades and styles. We also supply roasted Extra No. 1 pistachios and welcome your inquiries.

Soybeans

American soybean growers are entering a critical time to help determine their future plantings as current prices will inform growers who routinely choose between planting soybeans or planting corn. At this time, some are reporting many growers may choose corn over soybeans due to projected demand, price, and based on ratios between the prices for the most recent harvest against futures contracts.

We supply GMO and Non-GMO Soybeans and Soybean Meal of all sizes, grades and styles.

Raisins

California Raisin sales have been steady with inventories returning to normal levels and global demand remaining strong. As with other commodities, it remains to be seen what the long-term effects of the coronavirus pandemic will be. 

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.

Pecans

China is traditionally the largest market for American pecans but the combination of the US-China Trade War and the most recent virus related disruptions have affected this status. Pecan growers have seen a decrease in sales as a result and have relied on strong domestic shipments. Expect the situation in China to remain uncertain as even though a Phase One trade deal was negotiated, the current pandemic is likely to change consumer behaviors. 

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

Sunflower

Prices for US sunflower have increased since the start of the harvest despite major markets experiencing the spread of the novel coronavirus. A smaller than expected crop in the US has continued to push pricing upwards. Long-term contracts may be subject to customer, destination port, and shipment schedule. 

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.

Cranberries 

US and Canadian cranberries have also seen prices increasing in recent months. The smaller than expected crop in the US in addition to sustained global demand have helped to buoy prices for Sliced Sweetened Dried Cranberries (SDCs) with Whole SDC products becoming harder to find due to these shortages. Long-term contracts made now could help ease the increases expected in pricing through 2021. 

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.

Poultry & Pork

China is now importing live chickens from the US due to feed shortages caused by coronavirus related supply chain disruption. As a result, millions of young birds will likely be killed. 

This action follows the mass slaughter of pigs in China due to the recent African Swine Fever outbreak in the past year which is likely to only worsen the protein shortage in China which has sparked inflation and led to soaring meat prices. 

China’s AQSIQ certified list of approved meat manufacturers has risen to 850 plants in 18 countries. You can explore the full list HERE.

We supply all major pork and poultry products from SIF certified factories approved by the Chinese AQSIQ. We supply Chicken Feet, Paws, Middle-Joint Wings, in addition to pork products.