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o The precipitation pattern was quite like the previous week, with light showers and drizzles throughout the week that managed to accumulate 29.2mm (1.15 inches) of rainfall.
o Air and soil temperatures were reported to be:
o The minimum was 24°C (75.3°F)
o The average dropped to 27.3°C (81.1°F)
o The average soil temperature decreased slightly to 27.3°C (81.1°F)
o Most of the week solar radiation varied from moderate to low.
o Very low risk of causing sunburnt and corky fruit.
o The relative humidity decreased slightly to 89.6%.
o Large fruit (4,5 and 6 count) made up 56.1% and 5 count declined to 26.2% of our harvest.
o The week brought a slight increase in the harvest age of fruit, given by an increase in the volume harvested at 21 WAF, which rose to 34% and a decrease in fruit at 20 WAF, which dropped to 64% of the harvest.
o Crownless fruit volume made up 9.4% of the total packed.
o The sugar content of our fruit increased significantly this week, reaching a Brix degree of 15.8 Fruits with brix lower than 13.5 were not reported and the percentage of fruits with brix higher than 15.5 increased greatly compared to the previous week. Brix reading variability data was not reported this week.
o The volume of fruit with psi less than 2.7 only reached 1.8% of the sample. The minimum was 2.7 psi; the average reached 3.4 psi and the maximum was 4.3 psi.
o All fruit quality characteristics were reported according to our standards.
o The farms are estimating significant increases in our volume starting in week 45.
o Vessel delays in the Northeast, are expected to arrive on Thursday rather than Monday. Most orders will need to load at the end of the week.
o Due to more severe climate fluctuations than normal, a phenomenon caused by El Nino, the farms are seeing higher temperature fluctuations than normal. Some days as much as 10 degrees Celsius variation. Fruit harvested during these conditions are showing higher external color and internal translucency, like that of the NDF period. However, we continue to see week-over-week quality improvements.