San Joaquin County growers are struggling with port delays, shortages of containers and shortages of truck drivers. Bruce Brodget, Executive Director of the San Joaquin Agricultural Service, said the delays could be due to a number of issues related to COVID-19.
“Currently, there are a lot of problems with ports. You can put containers in and out of these ports, get containers, and how long,” Blodgett said. He added that another layer of setback for employers is the need for more staff to compete with those who are still dependent on long-term unemployment benefits scheduled for September. This effect is expected to last for at least another 5 months by farmers. Nevertheless, producers, packers and shippers need to prepare for the next harvest.
Source: californianewstimes.com
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