Florida produce and ag demand for wire-bound crates
Florida is one of the top US produce states (citrus, strawberry, tomato, bell pepper, cucumber, squash, specialty tropical fruit), and the state's wire-bound crate consumption is driven by continuous seasonal and year-round programs. Peak season runs December through May for winter vegetable and strawberry, year-round for citrus, with specialty tropical fruit (mango, avocado, lychee, dragon fruit) adding Florida-unique summer and fall peaks.
For in-grove field-pack (growers harvesting direct into shipping crates), lightweight wire-bound construction is the industry standard. For packhouse to cold-storage shipping (Lake Wales, Winter Haven, Immokalee, Plant City, Palmetto, Fort Pierce packhouses), wire-bound crates and reusable harvest totes run on continuous replenishment programs.
Florida citrus field-pack crate programs
The Florida citrus industry (Indian River County, Polk County, Lake County, Hendry County, DeSoto County) runs field-pack to packhouse flows that consume thousands of 1-5/9 bushel wire-bound crates per week during peak harvest. Our Central Florida yard pre-stages inventory during peak season (October through May) for same-day delivery into the citrus belt.
For OJ concentrate shipping and specialty-citrus export (specialty citrus to Caribbean, Asian export via Jaxport), ISPM-15 stamped wire-bound crates ship with Spanish/Portuguese documentation. For specialty-citrus retail-ready packs (Honeybell tangelo, Sumo mandarin, specialty grapefruit varietals), half-crate wire-bound sizes with retail-ready construction.
Florida specialty-crop and vegetable crate programs
Plant City strawberry (US winter-strawberry capital), Ruskin and Immokalee tomato (one of the top US winter tomato producing areas), Palmetto bell pepper and specialty-vegetable, and Homestead avocado and tropical fruit each run distinct seasonal wire-bound crate programs. For strawberry, specialty half-crate sizes with cushion-insert construction. For tomato, 1-bushel and 1-5/9 bushel field-pack. For bell pepper and specialty vegetable, half-crate and full-crate retail-wholesale sizes.
Returnable harvest totes (24 to 36 inch cube, 10 to 25 cycle reuse) run with large growers for the specialty Florida crop where cycle economics work. Standard-pack wire-bound crates are typically one-way or 3-5 cycle.
Seafood and shore-pack wire-bound crates - Florida fisheries
Florida's commercial fishery footprint (Gulf of Mexico stone crab, snapper, grouper, Atlantic coast swordfish and tuna, Pacific-adjacent lobster, specialty shellfish) consumes wire-bound crates with ice-channel construction for whole-fish and shell-fish shipping. Peak season is October through May for stone crab, year-round for snapper/grouper, seasonal for specialty shellfish.
For shore-pack to processor shipping, lightweight wire-bound construction with drainage slots in the bottom accommodates iced shipping without crate degradation. For export shipping (specialty seafood to Caribbean, Asian export via Miami air cargo), ISPM-15 stamped wire-bound crates with ice-channel construction.
Florida tropical fruit and nursery stock crates
South Florida tropical fruit (Homestead avocado, Pine Island mango, specialty lychee, dragon fruit) consumes specialty-sized wire-bound crates on summer-and-fall peak programs. For Florida nursery stock (Hernando County, Lake County, Highlands County nurseries - Florida ranks second in US nursery production), specialty-dimension wire-bound crates for potted plant, tree stock, and ornamental shipping to Northern Florida and across the Southeast.
What to send us for a Florida wire-bound crate quote
Send us: crop or product (citrus, strawberry, tomato, specialty crop, seafood, nursery), typical crate dimensions, seasonal volume (peak-month and total-season), Florida ship-to county (grove or packhouse), and whether this is one-way or returnable. For export shipments confirm ISPM-15 requirement and destination. Standard reply same business day; same-day Florida 19 counties on in-stock sizes.
Industries we supply wire-bound crates to in Florida and the Southeast
Common specs
| Grade | Dimensions | Capacity | Florida availability | Price band (FL delivered) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-bushel field-pack | 18x14x10 in | 60-80 lb | Same-day 19 counties | $2.75 - $5.50 |
| 1-5/9 bushel citrus | 20x15x12 in | 80-110 lb | Same-day 19 counties | $3.50 - $6.75 |
| Half-crate strawberry | 20x15x10 in | 50-80 lb | Same-day 19 counties | $3.25 - $5.75 |
| Full-crate wholesale | 24x20x15 in | 100-150 lb | Same-day 19 counties | $4.75 - $8.50 |
| Returnable harvest tote | 24-36 in cube | 200-600 lb | 1-3 day on order | $18 - $45 |
| Seafood ice-channel | Custom | Spec | 1-3 day on order | Quote |
| ISPM-15 export | Any | Any | Add 1-2 day stamp | Add $0.75 - $2.00/crate |
Need a quote on wire-bound crates?
Same-day Florida delivery in 19 counties for orders by 2 PM EST. Reply same business day.
Get my quoteRelated wood products
Decision guides
Not sure which product fits? These side-by-side comparisons walk the choice:
Frequently asked questions
How fast can you deliver citrus crates to the Indian River citrus belt during harvest?
For Indian River County (Fort Pierce, Vero Beach), St Lucie County, and Martin County citrus packhouses, same-day delivery from the Central Florida yard for orders confirmed before 2 PM EST. We pre-stage inventory in October-December for peak-season flow. Same-day dispatch runs from the Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, Miami, and Lakeland yards for orders within 75 miles, and next-day delivery is available statewide for orders placed by 2 PM EST.
Can wire-bound crates handle Florida summer heat and humidity?
Yes - the thin-sheet wood construction tolerates Florida ambient conditions better than corrugated. For prolonged outdoor exposure (above 60 days) we recommend our pressure-treated crate option, though most wire-bound crates are consumed within the harvest window.
What is the typical cycle life for Florida citrus field-pack crates?
For published 1-5/9 bushel field-pack: 3 to 5 cycles depending on handling. For returnable harvest tote construction: 10 to 25 cycles. For most Florida citrus programs the crate is consumed in the first harvest-to-packhouse-to-cold-storage cycle, with packhouse-to-shipper flow using fresh crates.
Do you supply custom-sized crates for Florida specialty-crop growers?
Yes - for Florida specialty crop (Plant City strawberry, Homestead avocado, Pine Island mango, specialty tropical) we build to-dimension wire-bound crates on seasonal pre-order. Minimum order 500 crates for custom; smaller for prototype runs. Lead time 10-20 business days from drawing approval.
Can wire-bound crates stack in the grove during Florida harvest?
Yes - wire-bound crates are specifically designed to stack 8 to 20 high in the field during pick. Florida citrus packing crews routinely stack 1-5/9 bushel crates 12-15 high on field carts. Compare to corrugated, which collapses when stacked above 4-6 high.
What is the lead time for ISPM-15 stamping on Florida citrus export?
Standard ISPM-15 stamping cycle is 1-2 business days. For Jaxport Latin American citrus export we recommend 2-day lead to combine stamping and same-day Duval County delivery to port terminals.
Do you supply ice-channel wire-bound crates for Florida seafood?
Yes - for Florida stone crab, grouper, snapper, swordfish shipping we supply ice-channel wire-bound crates with drainage slots in the bottom. Stocked at the Central Florida yard with 1-3 day lead to Keys and Gulf-coast fisheries.
Can returnable harvest totes work for Florida large-grower programs?
Yes - large Florida growers (major citrus packhouse operations, tomato shipping co-ops) running returnable-tote programs recover empty totes from the packing shed and return them to the field for the next pick cycle. We quote tote inventory sizing per cycle count and float window.
What is the Florida fall-harvest ordering window?
For Florida fall citrus and winter vegetable (October-May), order by August 1 for guaranteed in-season delivery at standard pricing. For late-season orders (September+), expedited at premium with 5-10 day lead. For next-season programs book by June.
Can you supply wire-bound crates to the Homestead tropical fruit growers?
Yes - Miami-Dade County and Monroe County (Homestead area, Keys avocado, tropical fruit) are covered with 1-2 day delivery from the Central Florida yard via the Turnpike freight corridor. For in-season peak (summer avocado, winter stone crab) we expedite.
Updated 2026-10-07