Lettuce​

Transition from Coastal California  to  Central Valley and now Yuma  is almost complete.  There will still be limited production from Santa Maria  through the month but Yuma and Imperial Valley will be the predominate lettuce growing area by next week .  Quality and sizing issues still remain in the desert limiting available supplies but overall quality is already a vast improvement. A return to cooler “Normal” weather  pattern will also help improve quality. Anticipate an eventual easing of the market as production and quality continue improving throughout the month.

 

Mix Leaf

Romaine and Romaine heart production is transitioning slightly slower than Iceberg keeping pressure on the market to remain firm. Quality will continue to be sporadic until the desert is fully operational by the end of the month.  Greenleaf and red leaf  are in a similar transition stage with good  demand  keeping markets  firm.

 

Celery

This market continues to gain momentum and supplies are slowly diminishing.  Salinas is finishing up and other growing areas are struggling to keep up with demand.  Santa Maria has light supplies and Oxnard is not yet in full production. Mix that with Thanksgiving holiday pull ramping up and we will continue to see a strong market on all sizes. Fewer large sizes available and most of the volume is on 36 size.

 

Broccoli

Cooler temperatures in California growing regions, transition and holiday demand will cause markets to increase over the next 7 days.  There will be limited availability out of Salinas and Santa Maria for the remainder of the week. Mexican Crowns are available out of Texas but prices are increasing there as well.  Quality out of California has improved with better color.  Mexico product continues to arrive with 40%-60% hollow core but overall quality on domes and color is good.

 

Cauliflower

Demand exceeds continues with cauliflower.  Tight markets are expected for the next 10 days.  Quality has been fair at best. Some riciness and discoloration on the curds continues to show up.

 

Artichokes

Production of thornless /seeded varieties are increasing from Salinas / Oxnard with mostly large sizes.  Mexico and the desert production will begin later next month as well.  The preferred eating Green Globe / Heirloom variety won’t return until Spring.

 

Brussel Sprouts

Production continues to be heavy with heavy demand to match.  Quality issues with insect and water quality remain keeping yields from being optimal . Demand will continue to  increase as Christmas promotions roll into  next month.

Strawberries

Most suppliers are taking a very large step down this week in production.  With the rain from Sunday and Monday’s thunder storms in the Salinas and Watsonville areas, availability will be volatile with the weather being the biggest driver. Arrivals are going to be rough.  Although we may provide you with volume forecast for a week or two out, this best laid plan could easily be disrupted by weather conditions that surface. We will also continue to provide you with an update on Florida production that is scheduled to begin the back half of November.

 

 

Raspberries

Even though the rain in the Watsonville/ Salinas areas continues throughout most of Monday, our overall production continues to be steady.  Although our supplies forecast for a fall peak the next two week the El Nino weather has had other ideas.  Both

 

Cantaloupes

Supplies started the week ample, but plunged by Wednesday in the face of cooler desert weather and acreage transitioning into its last phases. Mexico is getting going, but since the salmonella scares years ago, domestic buyers still shy away from them.  Off shore (Caribbean) fruit has started in a small way but is due to start picking up over the next few weeks.  Sizes have been running quite large domestically and continue to do so.  Demand has remained fairly steady, which is nothing exciting, but good enough to keep diminishing supplies cleaning up daily.  We look for the market to be firm to stronger going into the weekend and next week, but only moderately so.

 

Honeydews

Domestic honeydew supplies have been light all fall.  Demand has been fair.  Sizes have become more spread out rather than skewed large as they had been.  The domestic market waned a bit but still stayed at above average price levels.

Not so for Nogales.  Sizes are running large, but there are still ample supplies of 5s and smaller. Demand has been fair. There has been deep discounting on 4s and 5s and some discounting on 6s.  Mexico supplies going forward look to be ample and demand fair with markets remaining steady, but perhaps with a bit less dealing.