Mexico is commanding the leader board when it comes to exports of Northwest pears. Jeff Correa, international marketing director for the Pear Bureau Northwest, said the country is now the Northwest pear industry’s top export destination, accounting for nearly 42 percent of all Northwest pear exports. “This season, we are on pace for a new record in export volume in Mexico — four million boxes,” he told The Produce News.

Associated Potato Growers Inc. announced the hiring of Matthew Kugler. Kugler, who was a longtime potato and onion buyer at Russ Davis Wholesale, joins Greg Holtman and Jeff Lazur on the sales desk at Associated.

“Matthew comes to us with years of experience in the potato and onion business as a buyer for Russ Davis Wholesale,” Paul Dolan, general manager for Associated, said in a press release. “We are very excited that he has joined our staff. He has been in the produce business most of his adult life.”

RALEIGH, NC—North Carolina produce crops brought in $608 million last year for fruits, vegetables, nuts and berries. And sweet potatoes led the way, Kevin D. Hardison is quick to point out. Hardison is a marketing specialist with a 14-year career in the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in Raleigh that brings a working knowledge of the 60 kinds of produce grown in the Tarheel State.

In an effort to help retailers promote Peruvian asparagus, the Peruvian Asparagus Importers Association has developed a Category Management Plan, which is chock full of data as well display and merchandising ideas.

Priscilla Lleras, PAIA coordinator, said the plan is available free of charge to all retailers either through members of the association or by contacting Lleras via email at [email protected].

Retailers are encouraged to take advantage of a host of programs developed by the Pear Bureau Northwest designed to increase pear sales. “We have a robust promotion program planned for the upcoming season that incorporates successful tactics such as in-store radio and in-store sampling,” said President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin Moffitt. “We plan earlier sampling activities for Bartlett and Starkrimson pear varieties in order to get the momentum started for the season.

The Pear Bureau Northwest has released its 2014 season Northwest fresh pear crop estimate. “With reports of a crop of excellent quality from the Pacific Northwest growing regions of Wenatchee and Yakima, WA, and Mid-Columbia and Medford in Oregon, the total projection is showing approximately 18.7 million standard 44-pound box equivalents (or 411,400 tons) of pears for the fresh market,” the Pear Bureau said on June 5. “This estimate is 6 percent smaller than the five-year average, and 13 percent smaller than last year’s record crop.”