The national consumer group Food & Water Watch released extensive comments highlighting the damaging effects of the proposed Albertsons-Safeway supermarket merger on consumers and farmers. The group estimated that increased retail grocery concentration in the 44 markets where the two chains currently compete could increase consumer grocery prices between $900 million and $2 billion every year.

It was too early to know for sure, but as of the beginning of April, Grower Direct Marketing LLC in Stockton, CA, exclusive sales agent for O-G Packing Co., was hoping for “a full, promotable crop” of Bing cherries out of the Linden-Lodi area in the northern San Joaquin Valley of California, according to Jim Hanson, managing partner of Grower Direct.

“From all indications at this point, it looks like a nice full crop,” he said April 1. “I don’t think anybody is frowning on the Bing crop. They are probably pretty encouraged by what they have seen so far. At least we are.”

The much-anticipated traveling billboard for Wisconsin’s potato and vegetable industry, also known as the Spudmobile, is now well on its way to completion as the growers announce their partnership with two Wisconsin-based companies to finish the interior and exterior elements of the project.

CGS Premier in New Berlin and Cineviz in Green Bay both have extensive experience taking everyday vehicles and turning them into unique promotional tools that are fun and educational for those who go through them.

For a successful season, watermelon growers need to be in the market for the summer holidays, according to Mike Meyer, watermelon salesman for Keith Connell, Inc., in Stillwell, KS. “If you’re late or don’t hit peak demand, it really messes you up,” he said.

This spring, as usual, Keith Connell is planning to be in the market for the coming Memorial Day and Independence Day holidays.

NOGALES, AZ — The operations of longtime watermelon specialist Big Chuy Distributors & Sons Inc., moved a step forward this spring.

Chuy Lopez, Jr., the general manager of the firm, indicated that three of his Mexican shippers this spring are operating new state-of-the-art watermelon packing sheds.

“This will make it easier with sizing and weighing,” Lopez said.

Big Chuy will handle the same volume of seedless and mini-sized watermelons as last year, he indicated.

Midwest Best Produce, which this year has already begun shipping watermelons produced offshore, as well as shipping Mexican watermelons, is expecting to begin its Florida and Texas watermelon deals the first week of May.

Dan Pupillo Jr., president of the firm, which is based on the St. Louis Produce Market, said his Florida deal will be followed by Georgia and Missouri.

Missouri will begin about June 25 if the weather goes as expected, Pupillo added.