Produce Season Shipping Guide: What You Need to Know

Produce season is the most demanding period in cold chain logistics. From April through September, the combination of peak harvest volumes, extreme temperatures, and tight capacity creates a perfect storm of challenges for shippers. Whether you are a grower, distributor, or retailer, preparing for produce season before it arrives is the difference between smooth operations and costly disruptions.

Understanding the Seasonal Timeline

Produce season does not hit all at once. It rolls through the country following the harvest calendar. Florida and Texas start shipping winter vegetables in February and March. California's Central Valley ramps up in April with leafy greens, berries, and stone fruit. The Southeast and Mid-Atlantic produce season peaks from June through August. The Pacific Northwest adds apples and cherries in late summer. Understanding this timeline helps you plan capacity needs and rate expectations for each period.

Capacity Planning: Start Early

The biggest mistake shippers make is waiting until produce season starts to secure reefer capacity. By the time loads are ready, every other shipper is competing for the same trucks. Start your capacity planning at least 60 days before your season begins. Lock in contracted capacity on your highest-volume lanes. Identify backup carriers for surge periods. Build relationships with brokers who specialize in produce and have established carrier networks in your origin markets. ArrowLane positions capacity in major growing regions before season starts, giving our shippers first access to trucks when demand spikes.

Pre-Cooling: The Foundation of Produce Quality

Product that is loaded warm will never reach the correct temperature in a reefer trailer. Reefer units are designed to maintain temperature, not to cool warm product. Pre-cooling produce to its target transit temperature before loading is absolutely critical. This means field heat removal through hydro-cooling, forced-air cooling, or vacuum cooling depending on the product type. The trailer itself should also be pre-cooled to the target temperature for at least 90 minutes before loading begins. Skipping or rushing the pre-cool step is the single most common cause of quality problems during produce season.

Loading and Airflow

Proper loading is essential for maintaining temperature uniformity throughout the trailer. Pallets should be stacked to allow airflow channels between rows and between the load and the trailer walls. Top-icing or slip-sheet ice can be used for products that benefit from additional cooling. Never block the air chute at the front of the trailer, as this disrupts the airflow pattern that keeps the entire load at a uniform temperature. Mixed loads with different temperature requirements should be avoided when possible, but if necessary, use insulated dividers and place the most temperature-sensitive product nearest the reefer unit.

Managing Costs During Peak Season

Produce season rates will be higher than the rest of the year. There is no avoiding this reality. But smart planning can significantly reduce the premium you pay. Contract rates locked in before the season save 15 to 25 percent compared to peak spot rates. Shipping during off-peak hours and days can improve carrier availability. Consolidating smaller loads reduces per-unit costs. And maintaining efficient loading and unloading operations keeps your facility attractive to carriers, who will prioritize shippers that get them in and out quickly during the busy season.

Choosing the Right Carrier Partners

Not all reefer carriers are equal when it comes to produce. Look for carriers with experience in your specific commodities, proper pre-cooling procedures, well-maintained equipment, and drivers who understand produce handling. Ask about their reefer maintenance schedule, how they handle equipment breakdowns during transit, and what their temperature monitoring capabilities are. A carrier that costs slightly more per mile but delivers consistently on-temperature is far cheaper than one that offers a low rate but shows up with a questionable reefer unit.

Contingency Planning

Even the best-planned produce season will have disruptions. Equipment breakdowns, weather events, carrier cancellations, and unexpected volume spikes are inevitable. Build contingency plans that include backup carrier capacity, alternative routing options for weather events, and clear communication protocols between your shipping team and your carrier partners. The shippers who navigate produce season most successfully are those who plan for problems before they happen, rather than scrambling to react when the unexpected occurs.