Melissa’s World Variety Produce in Los Angeles is feeling a definite increase in organic sales as the economy takes its slow turn upward, Robert Schueller, director of public relations for the company, said.

“We have had considerable sales growth from the previous year, and we see a bright future in the year to come,” he said.

The Colorado State Engineer’s Office continues to work through the rulemaking process to regulate the use of water in Colorado’s San Luis Valley. District Engineer Craig Cotten said the State Engineer’s office is hoping rules will be finalized during 2013. The complex process, which began several years ago, has become all the more earnest as Colorado’s drought conditions continue to worsen.

Ruiz Sales, an Edinburg, TX-based importer and distributor of tropical items from Mexico, is running a special exculsive H.E.B. Super Bowl-themed promotion on limes at H.E.B. locations in Texas during the week leading up the the big game.

For the first time, U.S.-grown pears have officially gained access to the Chinese market.

NatureSweet Limited, a leading grower of premium fresh tomatoes in North America, announced the company intends to purchase substantially all of the assets of EuroFresh Farms, based in Willcox and Snowflake, AZ. NatureSweet, which markets under the "NatureSweet" brand, and EuroFresh Farms are two of the leading producers of high-quality tomatoes in North America. EuroFresh Farms is also a leading U.S. grower of greenhouse cucumbers.

Randy Shell, vice president of marketing and new business development for RPE, said the 2012 potato marketing season has been full of excitement. “We are anticipating an approximate 15- to 20-percent increase in volume over 2011,” he told The Produce News on Jan. 4. “It looks to be a very good year for product volume when compared to the last two years. Product quality is looking excellent with a good mix of sizes, including good supplies of large russet potatoes.