Lettuce 

The Desert Winter growing areas are in full swing with production running heavy  due to the early start brought on by the warmer than normal temperatures this Fall. Cooler more seasonal weather forecast  for the next couple weeks  should help  improve quality but seeder, tip burn and heavy rib discoloration continues to plague arrivals. The market will likely firm by the end of next week as quality improves and production catches up .

 

Mix Leaf

Similar to Iceberg  , overlapping  supplies  and quality issues  have dominated the category.  Heavy discoloration on arrival has been the norm.  Improved  quality is already underway and will likely help improve the market once customers  clean up existing quality issues.

 

Brussels Sprouts

Heavy production continues  from Salinas with  increasing  production from  Mexico. Demand  has been good and will continue to improve as  Canadian regional production winds down this week. The market  has been steady despite the excess supplies although there are still deals available for volume orders.  Quality continues to be very nice and should continue to improve demand  through the traditionally strong Holiday season.

 

Celery

This market continues to settle after the holiday pull.  With product coming out of Salinas and Oxnard areas, we are seeing plenty of supplies for the upcoming weeks.  Expect a stronger market in early to mid-December as Christmas business picks up and Salinas production comes to an end.  Oxnard will be the primary productions area until Yuma begins. We expect quality issues for the first few weeks of the Yuma season.

 

Broccoli

Most Salinas shippers have finished shipping for the season, loading will now take place in Santa Maria and the Desert regions.  Quality out of these areas is good.  Nice color and tight domes.  Market on bunch has been depressed and should remain at low levels going into next week.  Crown prices remain fairly stable at the current trading levels.

 

Cauliflower

Good supplies out of Santa Maria and the Desert growing regions for next week. Markets have dropped slightly over the last couple of days. Expect prices to be sub $10.00 FOB going into next week.  Quality is good in both areas.

 

Artichokes

Steady  production from  Salinas  is expected to continue with improving demand . Additional growing areas in Oxnard and the Desert should start up early next month.   Predominate sizing will be large sizes with very good quality.   Thornless or seeded varieties continue to dominate the category  with the preferred Heirloom or Green Globe  not scheduled til the Spring.

Strawberries

The market is experiencing some softness due to slower retail sales and the Thanks giving holiday.  We expect a wide range in pricing next week as volume should be picking up out of Mexico. The Oxnard area has a chance of rain for the weekend. Quality out of this Area remains fair at best and the impending rain could compound problems.

Cantaloupes

For all intents and purposes domestic cantaloupes have finished up with only traces left. Mexico is still going, but once again, they are not well accepted domestically. That leaves the Caribbean as the main source of supplies until spring.  That deal is going not quite at full speed yet, but increasing consistently.  Sizes are skewing large (jbo 6s.Jbo 9s and 9s) with very few 12s and virtually nothing smaller.  The market was dull and steady. Next week supplies should be increasing from the basin. Demand will be uneventful in the face of whatever post holiday leftover inventories stores are carrying and the lack of seasonality.  We look for a lower market next week.

 

Honeydews

Like cantaloupes they all but done domestically. Mexico still is going strong with an oversupply of fruit. Demand is dull due to the unseasonable nature of the fruit.  Next week off shore supplies should increase keeping the market cheap in Mex and lowering the price of off shore fruit.