Summer has just begun and there is still more planning and preparation needed to ready the new crop of Washington apples for the fall harvest. Trees around the state are covered with an abundance of apples. The official estimate will not be announced until Aug.

“Mastronardi has been certified organic handlers since 2010,” said Daniela Ferro, communications coordinator for Mastronardi Produce Ltd, headquartered in Leamington, Ontario.

“We are both National Organic Program certified and Canada Organic Regime certified,” she added.

The strongest selling organic products that the company offers are its organic “Campari” brand cocktail tomatoes, grape tomatoes, tomatoes on the vine, beefsteak tomatoes, sweet bell peppers, English cucumbers and mini cucumbers.

“We are currently growing and harvesting our summer commodities in addition to our 45 year-round items,” Lindsey Roberts, marketing communications director for Lakeside Organic Gardens LLC in Watsonville, CA, said on June 3. “To name just a few, we have broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, chicories, celery, bok choy, fennel, greens, herbs, kales, lettuces, leeks, radishes, beats, spinach and sweet baby broccoli.”

Roberts said that zucchini, squash, green beans, yellow wax beans and cucumbers are available now, and that bell peppers will begin harvesting in late July.

Retailers will be pleased to learn that fresh blueberry supplies from the Pacific Northwest are expected to be of strong volume and high quality. Comments from two of the region’s growers summarize these expectations for a successful season.

PATERSON, NJ — The Eastern Produce Council held its final dinner-meeting Tuesday evening, June 24, here at The Brownstone, before taking a little time off for its traditional summer break.

Asia Fruit Logistica 2014, Sept. 3-5 at Hong Kong’s AsiaWorld-Expo Center, is shaping up to be an even bigger and better show than last year's record-setting event.

With around five months to go before the doors open, exhibitor registrations have already equaled last year’s levels, with companies from 32 countries signed up to showcase their products and services. With the sold-out USA Pavilion and first-ever Canada Pavilion, the North American participation at this year’s Asia Fruit Logistica, is headed toward being the largest ever.