APRICOTS
GENERAL INFORMATION
Though Apricots originated in Asia, they were brought to the Mediterranean where European plant breeders produced the apricot we know today. California is the largest producer of Apricots in the U.S. followed by Washington, Idaho, Utah and Colorado.
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Description: There are primarily two types of Apricots: European and Asian.
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Most of the Apricot varieties grown in the U.S. are European Apricots. European Apricots are small, round-headed trees, ultimately reaching a height of up to 30 feet.
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Asian Apricots resemble the European kinds, but are smaller, only reaching a height from six to 15 feet, and they are shrubby instead of tree-like. The fruit of the Asian Apricots grow one or 2 inches and the taste varies from sweet to sour.
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Growing environment Apricots are very early bloomers, which makes them susceptible to injury from late spring frosts. A warm spell during the spring or even the winter urges the flower or leaf buds to begin swelling and the subsequent cold kills them. European Apricots grow only in mild climates; Asian Apricots are hardier and can survive harsh winters, though will still be damaged if the weather warms enough to induce blooming and then freezes up again. Apricots grow safely in mild climates and in very cold climates, where winter stays until late in the season and then lets up.
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Varietals
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California
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Halves: Bright orange color, rich flavor with tart/sweet taste.
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Diced: ¼” to ½” pieces of fruit, roughly cubic shape.
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Paste: Produced by grinding prepared dried apricots.
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Double Diced: Random pieces of fruit roughly cubic in shape.
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Varigrade: Bright orange to medium amber-color varies piece to piece.
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Mediterranean
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Turkish
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Whole Pitted: Yellow to orange in color, delicate apricot flavor. Texture somewhat softer than California type apricots.
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Nutritional Information/Reference websites
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www.califapricot.com (California Apricot Council)
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BLUE STAR
TRADE &MARKETING
BLUEBERRIES
GENERAL INFORMATION
For centuries, blueberries maintained popularity in the USA, with a thriving commercial business in the Northeast USA and Canada. An important step in the development of the high bush blueberry industry came in the turn of the century.
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Efforts in the early 1900's to domesticate the wild high bush blueberry resulted in today's cultivated high bush blueberry industry.
For decades "cultivated" or "high bush" blueberries have been improved through natural selection and plant breeding programs to produce an optimal blueberry with desirable flavor, texture and color for fresh and processed markets.
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Cultivated varieties have been enhanced to offer magnificent plump berries with deep, rich color and a delicious fruity flavor. These plant breeding programs have resulted in the development of superior berries both for the consumer and the food processing industry.
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Growing: North America is the world's leading blueberry producer, accounting for nearly 90% of world production at the present time. The North American harvest runs from mid-April through early October, with peak harvest in July which is also known as National Blueberry Month.
High bush blueberries are perennial, long-lived, deciduous, woody shrubs. They belong to the family Ericaceae, which also includes such plants as cranberry, azalea, rhododendron, and heather. Blueberries thrive in acid soils and do best in soils with a pH between 4 and 5. Cultivars require from 120 to 160 growing degree days to ripen fruit.
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Blueberry plants flower in spring, with flowers at the tip of canes and the tip of the cluster opening first. They are pollinated by bees. Fruit development occurs for about 2 to 3 months after bloom, depending on cultivar, weather, and plant vigor. Sugar content of fruit will increase during maturation to about 15 percent when fruit is ripe.
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Yields can be as high as 20 tons per acre (T/A), although yields of 7 to 8 T/A are typical of mature plantings.
Nutritional Information
Reference Websites
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