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The United States could run out of several popular fruits within weeks due to an expected strike.
Multiple U.S. media outlets have hinted at a possible halt in deliveries of bananas, pineapples, citrus, grapes and other fruits that typically enter the United States through its eastern and Gulf coasts as tens of thousands of port workers are expected to go on strike at the beginning of October.
“Any fruit that arrives after 1 October will be condemned to the trash can,” Peter Kopke Sr of Port the importer Kopke Fruit told the Orange County Register. “And all of the people who have invested in that business will lose a fortune.”
Gabriela D'Arrigo of the produce distributor D'Arrigo New York told the Orange Count Register that imports designated for the eastern region would be rerouted to the West Coast and transported across the country. The Port of Los Angeles, which would be part of the re-rout, has previously experienced several power-related outages in 2024.
Port Wilmington in Delaware, the largest entry point in the U.S. for imported bananas, handling a large volume of imported bananas including Dole and Chiquita, is expected to be among the biggest potential impacts of the strike. At least two-fifths of America's refrigerated banana cargo comes from Costa Rica, Guatemala and Honduras through the port.
Wilmington is also a primary destination from fruits imported to the U.S. through Chile such as grapes, stonefruit, apples, pears, cherries and berries, as well as pineapples from Ecuador and Colombia; citrus from South Africa, Morocco and Spain; pears from Argentina; kiwifruit from New Zealand; and grapes from Peru and Brazil.
“A sleeping giant is ready to roar… if a new Master Contract Agreement is not in place,” said Harold Daggett, leader of the International Longshoremen’s Association's labor union, via Fruitnet.com.