Winter Produce: Top 5 Reefer Commodities & Origins

The USDA data from the past 30 days sheds light on the most transported commodities in the refrigerated freight sector:

1. Potatoes - 67.5 million lbs, maintaining their staple status in American diets.

2. Apples - Approximately 42.5 million lbs. 'Tis the season for apple pies, apple cider, and apple butter.

3. Dry Onions - Around 28.4 million lbs transported.

4. Tomatoes - Nearly 17.7 million lbs, a key ingredient in diverse cuisines.

5. Avocados - Close to 16.7 million lbs transported. In 2021 alone, Americans consumed over 3 billion of the fruit.

So where does this produce come from? A significant portion isn't home-grown.

Top 5 Producing Regions

The origins of these commodities offer insight into the global vs. local production dynamic:

1. Mexico - Leading with 141.8 million lbs of produce, including all the popular produce this season except grapes, pears, and sweet potatoes.

2. Washington - 56.1 million lbs; 34.7 million of that being apples.

3. California-Central - Providing 49.8 million lbs, with a diverse agricultural output from grapes, celery, sweet potatoes, and more.

4. Idaho - 30.6 million lbs, famous for its potato production.

5. Arizona - Adding 26.5 million lbs, leading in lettuce output.

Capitalizing on High-Volume Regions: Mexico's dominant position, with 141.8 million lbs of produce, marks it as a key region for freight opportunities. Are you investing in these routes?

Explore the full graph below:

Sources: ThinkFreight | USDA