In 2013, about 170,000 truckloads of fruits and vegetables from Mexico came into the United through the ports of entry in South Texas, making it the leading state in the country for imports of fresh produce.

“About 40-45 percent of the fresh produce consumed in the United States is imported,” said Bret Erickson, president and chief executive officer of the Texas International Produce Association, based in Mission, TX. “More than 50 percent of those imports come through Texas.”

Frieda’s Specialty Produce, based in Los Alamitos, CA, offers Green Dragon apples with labels to distinguish these sweet, juicy, and fragrant heirloom apples from other green apples. The labels also inform shoppers that the naturally freckled skin is quite normal.

Shipments of Florida strawberries began in mid-November in a light way with much greater volume expected by the week of Dec. 8, which is right on target, according to Kenneth Parker of the Florida Strawberry Growers Association.

“We typically run from November through March,” said the association’s newly appointed executive director, adding that the crop can also be harvested and shipped into April if market conditions warrant it.

FAISON, NC — It’s a delicious and healthful Muscadine smoothie drink, called JuVn8, five years and millions of dollars in the making, coming soon to a grocery store near you — Ron Cottle hopes.

Vick Family Farms met its ambitious goal to sell 50,000 boxes of sweet potatoes in special pink Breast Cancer Awareness cartons in October to benefit a local breast cancer project. October was Breast Cancer Awareness month.

“We say ‘Light Up Your Holiday Meals’ with New York state-grown apples,” said Jim Allen, president of the New York Apple Association, headquartered in Fishers, NY. “And we do highlight the three holidays — Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas — by providing great recipes to anyone who visits our website, nyapplecountry.com, and clicks on the ‘recipes’ link on the menu bar.”