1/8/15

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L​ettuce

Last week’s cold blast brought supplies to a halt and the market has spiked. Quality also took an additional hit with blister and eventually peel being added to already weak textured, ribby lettuce.  Warmer, above normal temperatures in the West this week combined with frigid weather in the East and poor quality lettuce arriving should dampen current strong demand and eventually weaken the market even with less than normal supplies. The good news is the quality should see some improvement next week as well as easing prices.

 

Brussels Sprout

Brussels Sprout quality continues to improve from Mexico while Santa Cruz and Salinas area Continue to harvest but quality is poor and dragging the overall market down. Continue to shop for only Mexican product to avoid issues.  Once the California crop finishes up in the next week or so the market could firm.

 

Mix Leaf

​Cold weather has created a gap in supplies with many shippers now reaching into young fields to get minimal production.  Warmer forecast temperatures this week should help increase production. Quality issues with texture and twist should improve but will be replaced by blister and peel.  All shippers are now quoting product with issues.  A possible return to normal weather the end of next week should bring a better balance to supplies.

Broccoli

Market is currently demand exceeds.  Cold weather in both the Western United States along with Mexico has diminished supplies.  Prices will remain strong through next week.  Quality out of the Desert growing regions is good, small bead size, good green color with some branchy.  Santa Maria quality is fair, you will find some pin rot and smaller bead size.

 

Cauliflower

Demand remains strong as cold weather has slowed production.  The warmer weather in all growing regions should start to increase supplies, but that won’t occur until the middle of next week.  Most shippers are heavy to 16 size.

 

Celery

Good volume on celery and deals on all sizes.  Product is still coming out Santa Maria, Oxnard and the desert.  Yuma volume is picking up and quality is improving. Freezing weather will eventually result in blistering.  Many deals available and shippers are looking to move.

 

 Artichokes

Thorn-less, seeded artichokes continue to be the predominate variety available.  Only a handful of shippers have production and have been peaking on large sizes with light volume on medium and small sizes.  Production should increase in coming weeks.  ​

 

Strawberries

The Oxnard market continues to be experiencing a wider range in pricing and quality.  This is primarily due to colder temperatures that we have seen the past few weeks. We can expect things to smooth out as soon as we settle into more consistent California weather patterns. The Oxnard area has no rain in the forecast for the next 10 days. Day time temperatures are expected to reach the mid-seventies next week. The glut of fruit out of Central Mexico was primarily due to lack of transportation out of this area. Suppliers needed to clean up large cooler inventories from the weekend and seem to be getting in a better position. There was a glut of Baja fruit as well as transportation was scarce by the California / Mexico border. Florida supplies will lighten up as cold snap they currently are experiencing will weaken the fruit.  Overall, we are looking for a more stable supply of fruit next week with pricing ranging from $10.00to $14.00.

Happy New Year

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L​ettuce

The  current  cold weather pattern throughout California  has begun to affect production .  Most crops have been 2 to 3  weeks ahead of schedule with mild early Winter weather but now growth has slowed significantly especially lettuce resulting in very limited supplies. Also affecting the market has been the lack of labor due to frost delays  and holidays. Quality has  been fair with  ribby poor textured lettuce.  Look for better texture and shape but blister and peel will become a concern in the coming weeks.  The long term weather outlook calls  for a return to normal mild weather next week which will help improve quality and eventually increase production.

 

Brussels Sprout

The heavy rains a couple weeks ago on the Central Coast has negatively affected quality and will put an early end to the California crop.  Brussels Sprout quality continues to improve increasing yields mainly from coastal Mexico. Predictable heavy Holiday season demand has kept the market very active.

 

Mix Leaf

Romaine and Romaine Heart market has begun to spike with the current cold weather pattern finally hitting California.  Crops have been 2 to 3 weeks ahead of budgeted schedule which combined with the surge of cold weather will create a shortage until warmer weather pattern returns.  The cold weather will help the overall texture quality of the Romaine and leaf but will also bring blister and peel.  Look for the market to be active well into January with possible better production in a couple weeks.

 

Broccoli

Product is coming from multiple areas, although cold weather is slowing growth which will result in tighter markets into next week.  Quality has been inconsistent and we may see some frost damage on desert product.  Planting gaps could continue into the first 2 weeks of January. Texas broccoli has shown better than average quality and good volume.

Cauliflower

This market has bottomed out and is rebounding as cold weather hits Yuma and Mexico.  Tight supplies expected through the next 2 weeks and stronger markets as a result. Yellow discoloration is an issue industry wide.

Celery

Currently Oxnard and Santa Maria are the main growing areas.  Imperial Valley will start later next week, followed by Yuma.  Not many quality issues to speak of.  Volume has been plentiful and the market has reflected this with single digit FOBs.  We could see slight increases in pricing with some planting gaps in the next 3 weeks.  Market remains sluggish over the holidays.

Artichokes

Thorn-less, seeded artichokes continue to be the predominate variety available. The few shippers with production are very light with mostly lager sizes.  Production won’t increase until late January .  Expect light to moderate frost on desert artichokes.

 

Strawberries

Florida production is in full swing, bringing prices down as volume picks up.  Texas, Arizona and California are all producing.  Quality has been ok over all, although some white shouldering on the Florida berries.  The market has come off substantially over the past 2 weeks due to lack of demand and multiple growing areas, although recent cold weather out west and in Mexico should lighten up volume and help markets rebound later next week.

 

 

12/3/14

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L​ettuce

Market  has leveled off after steep post Holiday dropoff in demand.  Production  areas have concentrated to the desert areas.  Quality has  improved but there are continued  issues with tip burn, high core, mildew  and mishapen heads leaving a wide range of quality.  Ideal  growing weather has allowed production to run a week or more ahead of schedule. Look for the market to  strengthen as the weather cools  and Christmas demand increases.

 

Brussels Sprout

Brussels Sprout quality continues to improve increasing yields. A slight slow down in demand will ease pricing temporarily but with dramatically improved demand  for the Holiday seasonal promotions for the next couple months the market with again strengthen  as most retailers will promo sprouts through the Holidays.

 

Mix Leaf

Romaine and Romaine Heart market has  eased with increased production coming from Yuma and Coachella.  High core and seeder continue to dominate quality issues resulting from warm weather growing conditions.  Greenleaf and Red leaf markets continue to be  steady with  some quality issues  but overall good  quality.

 

Broccoli

The market is trending higher on crown cuts.  Crown material tends to be lighter this time of year due to slow growing plants which produce larger stalks and heads making for more bunch and less crown packs.  Supplies are becoming limited out of Salinas and Santa Maria as shippers move into their winter plantings which historically is less acreage.  Couple this with cooler night time temperatures and we find ourselves with lighter volume from the Coastal growing regions. Production out of the Desert areas is still  limited and there will not be any increase in volume for at least another week.  Imports out of Mexico have slowed due to cooler temperatures in Central Mexico’s growing areas.

 

Cauliflower

Prices will remain high for the remainder of this week and into the front part of next week.  We are still experiencing a supply gap due to the Coastal Regions harvesting their fall plantings earlier than normal and winter plantings in the Desert Regions are still behind schedule by one week.  Harvest volumes should start to increase out of the Desert by the end of next week and then we should start to see some price relief.

 

Celery

Santa Maria and Oxnard are the main growing regions.  The market continues to strengthen this week due to lack of supply. Water regulations in Oxnard have resulted in fewer acres being planted, which has created a supply gap for the month of December. Recent heavy rains have hindered harvests because of muddy fields.  These two factors will keep this market strong at least for the next couple of weeks. High freight rates have raised retails significantly. Although freight rates are beginning to decline slightly, expect retail pricing to remain on the high side. Quality has been fine overall, very few problems to speak of.

 

Artichokes

Thorn-less, seeded artichokes continue to be the predominate variety available.  Most shippers have been peaking on large sizes with light volume matching light demand on medium and small sizes.    Demand will ramp up through the Holiday season.

 

Strawberries

The market continues to be in a demand exceeds supply situation due to inclement weather in all the major growing areas. Santa Maria, Oxnard, Baja and Central Mexico are all experiencing rain this week and this is expected to continue through Friday. Many suppliers will continue with heavy prorates ranging from 80% to 100%.  The Oxnard area received up to 2 inches of rain on Tuesday. Some quality concerns during this time will be soft and sunken areas. Some complaints about white tips and shoulders have been noted as well. Organic strawberries will become more available by midweek next week, barring any weather setbacks.  Look for limited production begging out of Florida this week. Early reports reveal that there is less fruit planted out of this area than in previous years.

 

Blackberries

Higher elevation areas have produced the better fruit out of Central Mexico. Lower lying areas have produced inconsistent fruit pertaining to both sizing and quality.

 

Raspberries

Availability has been good, but look for a little less fruit come to the U.S. due to some rain issues with the fruit not grown under hoops and a good local market with Mexico. Oxnard and Santa Maria complete the other growing areas. Conventional volume remains light. Mexico, Argentina, and Chile will be the main growing areas in December.

 

Blueberries

Regions in Argentina are declining in production numbers as inclement weather will no doubt shorten their season. Quality issues in the fruit were reported to be mold and shrivel. Further complicating matters, the Chilean export inspectors are currently on strike which will affect the beginning of their season. The blues from Chile are expected to be of excellent quality. Mexican volumes have lightened up due to recent rains and some pest issues.

 

Melons

The cantaloupe market is red hot this week.  Cantaloupe, Dews and Watermelons are coming from Mexico in very limited numbers.  Offshore product is starting to arrive, but weather has put a severe smack down on supply coming out.  Quality is hit and miss for the most part.

 

Watermelons

We are seeing a reduced supply of Seedless Watermelon coming from Mexico, due to rain in the growing region.  The market is very active due to a lack of supply on the West.  Offshore product is on the water and should arrive on the East coast in two weeks.

 

Grapes

The grape market is very active this week.  We are seeing good numbers of red seedless available and the market is steady.  Light color fruit is around and being discounted for those interested. Green seedless grapes are very active and supply is starting to finish up for the season. Blacks and globes are winding down and varying in quality and cost.

 

Citrus

Navels – There are good supplies of fruit coming in, peaking on 88’s, 113’s, 138’s.  Quality has been the best we’ve seen in years.  High sugar and good color!!!!

Lemons – We are seeing good supplies of new crop lemons. District III and Mexican supplies are in better volume.  Sizing is increasing and small sizes are getting a little scarce, district III is packing out 70% fancy and 20% choice. Grapefruit – The market is active and supplies are increasing, but slowly.  Quality has been great.

Dry Vegetables

Green bells are coming in with good supply from Nogales and Baja.  The market has settled and seems stable this week.

Red and Gold peppers are still available out of most regions.  Central CA is finishing up soon and the market is expected to stay strong.

Cucumbers seem to be coming consistently from Mexico.  The market is steady and so is supply.

Zucchini, and yellow squash is available from Mexico in Nogales with lighter supplies, but good quality.  We should see steady supplies via Baja and Central Mexico but the market is active and prices are up.

 

Tree Fruit

Pomegranates are now being harvested is full force.  Good supplies on all sizes in #1 and #2 grade fruit.  Market is strong as demand outpaced supply.  Asian Pears are available with good supply.  Both varieties Shinseki (Brown) and Hosui (Yellow).

Persimmons are fresh and being harvested in the central valley now.  Fuyu and Hachiya are both available for your holiday baking and snaking needs.

11/20/14

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Lettuce

Production from Central California is wrapping up this week and has begun in full out of the desert which has caused overlapping supplies.  Combined with off sized, poor quality and foul weather in the East the lettuce market has weakened substantially.  Once Huron cleans up and quality improves with better demand look for the market to settle.  Quality issues include pale, ribby lettuce showing significant high core and tip burn.

 

Brussels Sprout

Brussels Sprout quality continues to improve increasing yields and softening market especially on off sizes   . Improved demand  for the Holiday seasonal promotions for the next couple months has strengthened the market as most retailers will promo sprouts through the end of the year.

 

Mix Leaf

Romaine and Romaine Heart production still continues from all districts but Santa Maria, Coachella and Yuma will be the primary loading locations going forward.  A few shippers still have limited supplies but with weakness in Iceberg lettuce and strengthening of overall supplies   the market has leveled off.    Quality is still not optimal but has improved  from the desert.  Greenleaf and Red leaf supplies have been less affected by the transition although there are still  production gaps  with a fair amount of shippers  keeping pricing stable.

 

Broccoli

Market will remain at current trading levels for the remainder of the week.  Looks for prices to decline slightly as we finish up the holiday demand early next week.  Product is available out of Salinas, Huron, Santa Maria, Imperial Valley, Yuma, AZ and Texas.  Overall quality has been good from all areas.

 

Cauliflower

Demand exceeds market will continue into next week.  The current supply gap that we are experiencing will extend into the middle of next week and then we should start to see some relief in prices.  Quality in Salinas and Santa Maria has been fare, we are seeing some creaminess and spotting on curds.  Better quality is expected out of the Desert regions next week.

 

Celery

A stronger market heading into thanksgiving week. Supplies have cleaned up and smaller sizes are less available.  Supply is light, and the market will continue to be strong through this weekend.  Some suppliers are forecasting light harvests through the end of the year which could keep this mark in the double digits through the New Year.  Quality has been ok , no significant issues to deal with other than the occasional pith and seeder.

 

Artichokes

Thorn-less, seeded artichokes continue to be the predominate variety available.  Most shippers have been peaking on large sizes with light volume matching light demand on medium and small sizes.    Demand will ramp up through the Holiday season.

 

Strawberries

The Strawberry market regions continue to be effected by weather conditions.  Suppliers continue to experience 90% to 100% prorates as fruit is very slow to size up and turn color.  The plants that were stripped due to the rains a few weeks ago have not responded due to colder temperatures in that area. Normally, growers can harvest a field approximately every 3 days, but right now, every 4 or 5 days is typical.  Central Mexico would normally be a larger factor by now, but recent rains in that area has limited crossings domestically. The fruit in the Oxnard area is smaller in size with many most fields showing white tips and shoulders.  The market will continue to be weather driven for the next week.

 

Weather forecasts for current growing areas for the weekend

Santa Maria –10% to 20% chance of rain

Oxnard –0% chance of rain

Central Mexico –30% chance of rain.

Baja –  20% chance of rain

Melons

The cantaloupe market is weak due to a lack of demand.  Cantaloupe, Dews and Watermelons are coming from Mexico with decent supplies.  Offshore product is starting to arrive on the East coast and will begin hitting the West next week.  Quality has been decent.

 

Watermelons

We are seeing a reduced supply of Seedless Watermelon coming from Mexico, due to rain in the growing region.  The market is very active due to a lack of supply on the West.  Offshore product is on the water and should arrive on the East coast in two weeks.

 

Grapes

The grape market is active this week.  We are seeing good numbers of red seedless available and the market is steady.  Light color fruit is around and being discounted for those interested.

Green seedless grapes are very active and supply is starting to finish up for the season.

Blacks and globes are winding down and varying in quality and cost.

 

Citrus

Navels – There are good supplies of fruit coming in, peaking on 88’s, 113’s, 138’s.  Quality has been the best we’ve seen in years.  High sugar and good color!!!!

Lemons – We are seeing good supplies of new crop lemons. District III and Mexican supplies are in better volume.  Mostly 165-200-235 here, district III is packing out 70% fancy and 20% choice.  The market has adjusted downward for the small fruit. Grapefruit – The market is active and supplies are increasing, but slowly.  Quality has been great.

Dry Vegetables

Green bells are active this week, with sporadic volume available from most regions.  The CA desert is starting up with light supplies and will need pre-books to play ball.

Red and Gold peppers are still available out of most regions.  Central CA is finishing up soon and the market is expected to stay strong.

Cucumbers seem to be coming consistently from Mexico.  The market is steady and so is supply.

Zucchini, and yellow squash is available from Mexico in Nogales with lighter supplies, but good quality.  We should see steady supplies via Baja and Central Mexico

 

 

 

 

Tree Fruit

Pomegranates are now being harvested is full force.  Good supplies on all sizes in #1 and #2 grade fruit.  Market is strong as demand outpaced supply.  Asian Pears are available with good supply.  Both varieties Shinseki (Brown) and Hosui (Yellow).

Persimmons are fresh and being harvested in the central valley now.  Fuyu and Hachiya are both available for your holiday baking and snaking needs.

Mid Summer

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7/29/14

We are now well into the summer months with Fourth of July behind us, and no significant weekends or holidays in the near future.  Many Americans will be on vacation, buying less at home, and grocery sales tend to slow during this period.   Trucks are readily available, although staying busy with melon, tree fruit and berry loads.  Fuel prices are expected to level out and decrease over the next few weeks.  Rates have remained steady but could be cheaper by early next week with less demand. West coast weather remains pleasant and mild and hot inland valley temps over the next 10 days. Ideal growing weather for coastal vegetables and fruit, expect nice quality overall from the west.

LETTUCE – Supply is improving as demand settles and more product is available country wide with cheaper freight costs. Still a fairly wide gap in pricing, although the trend has been downward and buyers are waiting it out.  For now the market seems to have settled with most shippers, with more following suit in the days ahead.  Quality is nice, some pink ribbing and brown butt issues but very minimal.  Could see aging issues as we expect some inventory holdover in the coming days.

BROCCOLI – This market is at the floor level, particularly on crowns. Eastern and Midwest product is flooding terminals with cheap product and demand remains sluggish.  Mild weather will continue on the west, bringing on high quality product.

CAULIFLOWER – Prices continue to settle, more product is coming out of fields and some shippers are looking for load volume sales.  There is still a gap in pricing between shippers and this market has yet to find coming ground. The trend has been downward but cauliflower market have proven to be significantly more volatile than other commodities.  Shippers may have load volume one week and sold out the next. Plenty of deals available but we suggest sticking to normal volumes.

LEAF – romaine is one of the few strong market items.  Numbers are light and demand has been high.  This market will most likely reach its peak within the next few days, high retails will move demand back to lettuce and alternate leaf items as price conscious buyers hit the stores.

CELERY – The past few days have breathed new life into the celery market.  Pricing has increased $4-$5 in the past few days. Supply gaps are mainly to blame for this, and sizing discrepancies have fueled the increase.  Large sized product is more readily available, and very few smaller sizes have resulted in a wider range in pricing between 24s and 48s.  More product has been left in the fields to size up in hopes of better markets.  As markets improve we should see more small sizes available next week.  Pricing, although stronger, is not expected to get much higher into the weekend.

BERRIES –

Strawberries –Produce remains tight, demand is strong, although weaker than previous weeks.  Weather is mild, although humid nights could result in softer fruit and quality issues.  Sizing tends to be on the smaller side, mostly due to current varieties being used.  It is best to stick with better labels this time of year to minimize quality issues.

Raspberries –Very tight, market is increasing and quality is getting worse.  Low supply and marginal quality have resulted in heavy pro rates industry wide.

Blackberries – Similar issues with blacks, soft leaky fruit is common for this time of year. Market is strong with heavy pro rates.

Mid Summer

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7/16/14

We are now well into the summer months with Fourth of July behind us, and no significant weekends or holidays in the near future.  Many Americans will be on vacation, buying less at home, and grocery sales tend to slow during this period.   Trucks are readily available, although staying busy with melon, tree fruit and berry loads.  Fuel prices are expected to level out and decrease over the next few weeks.  Rates have remained steady but could be cheaper by early next week with less demand. West coast weather remains pleasant and mild and hot inland valley temps over the next 10 days. Ideal growing weather for coastal vegetables and fruit, expect nice quality overall from the west.

LETTUCE – Supply is improving as demand settles and more product is available country wide with cheaper freight costs. Still a fairly wide gap in pricing, although the trend has been downward and buyers are waiting it out.  For now the market seems to have settled with most shippers, with more following suit in the days ahead.  Quality is nice, some pink ribbing and brown butt issues but very minimal.  Could see aging issues as we expect some inventory holdover in the coming days.

BROCCOLI – This market is at the floor level, particularly on crowns. Eastern and Midwest product is flooding terminals with cheap product and demand remains sluggish.  Mild weather will continue on the west, bringing on high quality product.

CAULIFLOWER – Prices continue to settle, more product is coming out of fields and some shippers are looking for load volume sales.  There is still a gap in pricing between shippers and this market has yet to find coming ground. The trend has been downward but cauliflower market have proven to be significantly more volatile than other commodities.  Shippers may have load volume one week and sold out the next. Plenty of deals available but we suggest sticking to normal volumes.

LEAF – romaine is one of the few strong market items.  Numbers are light and demand has been high.  This market will most likely reach its peak within the next few days, high retails will move demand back to lettuce and alternate leaf items as price conscious buyers hit the stores.

CELERY – The past few days have breathed new life into the celery market.  Pricing has increased $4-$5 in the past few days. Supply gaps are mainly to blame for this, and sizing discrepancies have fueled the increase.  Large sized product is more readily available, and very few smaller sizes have resulted in a wider range in pricing between 24s and 48s.  More product has been left in the fields to size up in hopes of better markets.  As markets improve we should see more small sizes available next week.  Pricing, although stronger, is not expected to get much higher into the weekend.

BERRIES –

Strawberries –Produce remains tight, demand is strong, although weaker than previous weeks.  Weather is mild, although humid nights could result in softer fruit and quality issues.  Sizing tends to be on the smaller side, mostly due to current varieties being used.  It is best to stick with better labels this time of year to minimize quality issues.

Raspberries –Very tight, market is increasing and quality is getting worse.  Low supply and marginal quality have resulted in heavy pro rates industry wide.

Blackberries – Similar issues with blacks, soft leaky fruit is common for this time of year. Market is strong with heavy pro rates.

WEATHER RELATED ISSUES

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Active weather patterns have created unusual market conditions nationwide.  Storms in the east and tornadoes in the Midwest have slowed overall demand.  West coast weather has been volatile, with hot days followed by rain and wind.  Coastal temperatures in the 80s and 90s this week will be followed by a cooling trend with chance of rain next week.  These factors will surely affect quality industry wide.  Freight rates remain high with little sign of relief as diesel prices rise.  Crude oil prices are expected to remain near $100 per barrel throughout the summer.  This will have a noticeable effect on retail pricing throughout the country for the long term.

LETTUCE – Plenty of supply this week, quality is marginal due to recent rains.  Volume should tighten up next week as harvesting forecast show 30% less volume for the upcoming weeks.  Weights continue to be heavy, mostly in the 43-46 lb range.  Ribbing and discoloration are the common problems we are currently facing.  Quality is expected to improve as coastal temperatures cool into the weekend.

BROCCOLI – Fairly steady market, plenty of volume.  There will possibly be a production gap later next week which could tighten up supply.  Eastern crowns will be finishing up and demand will move west in the coming weeks.  Mexican crowns are showing quality issues including browning and decay. Be cautious with purchasing broccoli out of Texas unless you know exactly what you are getting.  West coast quality is better albeit pricier.

CAULIFLOWER – Still a very strong market here.  Supplies have improved this week and are expected to increase daily. Demand has slowed due to high markets and this market will continue to drop into next week, although volume could turn around at a moment’s notice. Plenty of quality issues to report mostly because shippers are putting as much as they can into the box to capitalize on the high markets.  Brown spotting, yellowing and decay are issues we are seeing daily.

LEAF – This market remains flat, plenty of volume and cheap pricing.  Shippers are looking to move, beware of old product.  The rain has not helped quality, pink ribbing and fringe burn are issues to watch out for.

CELERY – Currently plenty of volume on celery, and shippers are pricing to sell.  High freight rates have and will continue to hold this market back because of high delivered prices.  Some pith and seeder has been reported, but issues have not been extreme.  Seeder could become a larger factor in the weeks to come, as shippers will bypass product in the field and yields will be down.  This market could get slightly stronger as early as next week since Florida will be finishing up. More volume on larger product, fewer 36 sizes available.

BERRIES –

Strawberries – Tight market this week, the rain last week took its toll on volume.  Supplies are improving daily, but well below last weeks numbers.  Hot weather will affect quality and expect softer fruit on upcoming arrivals.  With Mother’s day business finishing up and cooler weather in forecast, quality and availability should improve.  Chance of rain next week could keep the market stronger than normal. Oxnard product is winding down, and more product will be coming out of Salinas and Santa Maria areas.

Raspberries –Mexico is winding down and most fruit will be coming out of Oxnard and Salinas areas.   Variable weather conditions will surely result in some quality issues over the next few days.   Overall quality is above average but there have been reports of soft fruit.

Blackberries – Steady supplies this week.  Mexico product is winding down, and most product will be coming out of California.  Quality is fair overall.

ASPARAGUS – California, Washington and Florida are the main areas.  Washington supply is expected to tighten up, California production is already tight.  Mostly smaller sizes available and quality is good.  Mexican product is still available, but is plagued with quality issues.

Hot Transition

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Transition is wrapping up with most vegetable production coming out of Salinas, Santa Maria and Oxnard.  Transportation has been a challenge, more loading areas, pickups, and rates have risen to compensate for multiple stops and a higher demand.  Trucks are currently available but rates have jumped $1000 or more since last month and will remain strong through Easter. More product available in Salinas towards the later part of this week that should help keep pickups down, although Easter pull will keep rates inching upward.  Unseasonably hot weather hit the central coast earlier this week, with temperatures well into the 80s, and inland temperatures in the low 90s. A cooling trend will follow into the weekend.

LETTUCE – Yuma is mostly finished up and most shippers are exclusively up north.  Huron is nearing the end and pressure will be put on Salinas and Santa Maria areas.  Lighter numbers this week is causing a slight uptick in market, shippers are selling out daily.   There is a large variance in quality from extreme weather conditions, starting with rain last week and a few days of heat this week. Keep in mind that issues such as pink rib, light color and heavy weights are industry wide.

BROCCOLI – Markets have been gaining momentum and higher prices are expected later this week. Lighter supply expected in the next several days.  Multiple growing regions, as well as coast product are factors keeping this market from making significant jumps.  That’s not to say the market is weak, but it could be a lot higher.  The overall broccoli market will most likely be strong into the summer because of lack of supply due to water restrictions in the central valley.

CAULIFLOWER – steady market for now.  Demand has not increased substantially, although we should see a strong market through Easter pull.  Some shippers are sold out and forecasting light numbers for the next few days.  Quality has been holding up for the most part, Salinas has been yielding good product and bright white color.

LEAF – Supplies are rebounding from last week.  Expect this market to come off slightly towards the end of this week. Romaine and Romaine heart prices have leveled off for now.  Salinas is nearing full production and supplies are increasing. Some quality issues like fringe burn and red ribs but quality is mostly good.

CELERY – Still plenty of celery available in out of Oxnard.  More large sized celery available with fewer deals on smaller sizes.  Quality is currently very nice, although seeder is beginning to become an issue and will continue to be evident in the coming weeks.  Celery is not a big Easter item and we expect a fairly flat market in the weeks to come.

BERRIES –

Strawberries – Market is currently tight industry wide.  Supplies are trying to recover from the rain and hot weather from the past week.  With mild weather forecasted for the next week on the coast, supply should slowly rebound, but demand will continue strong through the Easter pull.   Quality has been average, very few issues to speak of other than some bruising and overripe.

Raspberries – Still very tight, heavy pro rates. Quality has been marginal at best, with some reports of leaky and overripe fruit. Expect light numbers for the next 7 days and better supply at the tail end of Easter pull.

Blackberries – tight supply, and will continue to be light into next month. There has been a wide range of quality industry wide and a variance of pricing as a result.

ASPARAGUS – Strong market continues as we near the Easter holiday.  Salinas and central valley product is the majority of production. While there are still supplies coming out of South America and Mexico, numbers are very light and demand is strong. Quality has been nice this year, very few issues.