Ruben Shives, sales manager for the Edinburg Citrus Association and a former U.S. Department of Agriculture inspector in the Rio Grande Valley and a Safeway buyer and inspector in various locations across the country, died Nov. 20 following an illness. He was 55.

Mr. Shives began his sales career with ECA in 1995 and over the years was a driving force in the company, well known in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas and beyond.

Baloian Farms has partnered with Seminis Seed as the exclusive West Coast supplier of BellaFina baby Bell peppers.

“Consumer research often indicates that consumers are looking for more affordable, value-added and portion controlled products and BellaFina baby Bell peppers do just that by providing a more versatile bell pepper food experience,” Jeremy Lane, sales manager at Baloian Farms, said in a press release.

QPMA Executive Director Sophie Perreault and Sebastien Alix of Pommes Ma-

Desert row-crop shippers report modest to moderate demand on most key items. Oxnard celery shippers report brisk demand on light volume. Northwest onion demand is strong and the market continues to have a very strong undertone. Russet supplies far outpace demand.

ICEBERG LETTUCE

DNE World Citrus Sales in Fort Pierce, FL, had an excellent first half of its season and is now looking for a post-holiday surge for its grapefruit and other midseason citrus varieties, according to Florida Citrus Sales Manager Kevin Swords.

Ciruli Bros. LLC in Nogales, AZ, has increased production in two areas in its vegetable program over the last couple of seasons, according to Chris Ciruli, chief operating officer.

One area of increase is in bell peppers, he said. “We are seeing really good demand on hothouse red peppers, and we have backed that up with mixing in open field Le Rouge reds. That will put us in [the market] with more red peppers in a little bit different style. It seems like red peppers are a very hot item whether it be foodservice or retail.”