Newsletter 11.15.17

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Lettuce
Transition continues with ​still a ​few overlapping production areas expected to continue through the weekend before everything starts to settle in the desert next week. Overall supplies should​ steady next week with one production area for most shippers​. Also impacting supplies will be limited labor force in the desert to start the season. Quality from Yuma has been ​good with some high core and fringe burn but color and texture have been an improvement​. ​ We still expect some volatility into December where isolated plantings were damaged by flooding, although the majority of those acres were broccoli  Las Cruces New Mexico ​ continues ​through early next week with excellent quality , size and weight to fill any shortages you may encounter. ​Available transportation as well. ​
Mix Leaf
Romaine and Romaine Heart production areas ​continue​ to overlap and although demand continues strong increased supply is allowing for available volume discounts. We expect this to continue into next week as a few shippers will be motivated to move volume from one area or another.
Quality has improved from all loading areas . ​ Demand for Green leaf and Red leaf is steady but transition will likely bring uneven supplies depending on your loading location. Las Cruces will continue to have supplies of Romaine through the ​weekend​.
Brussels Sprouts
Production continues from Northern California ​with good quality.
​Central Coast California supplies have improved and volume deals are available but demand ​continues strong for the Fall Holiday season. The​ market has adjusted slightly and deals continue to be available but the floor appears to be elevated over past years.  Stalks are available for the Holidays.
Celery
This market did not live up to the ‘holiday pull’ hype. Low demand and extremely high freight rates have contributed to the lack of demand we are experiencing for Thanksgiving.  With most of the holiday push over, we look ahead to transition. After next week, the main growing regions will be Oxnard and Santa Maria. Quality has been very nice with very few problems to report.
Asparagus
​Heavy production from Mexico and Peru continues with good availability. Demand has improved heading into Thanksgiving and the market has begun to firm to Ad levels.
Artichokes
Production continues to be light with cooler, more seasonable weather as demand has started to increase for the Holidays. ​​Expect the market to rise through December before additional volume is expected.
Strawberries
The market moved into the twenties on fair quality and weather issues. Mexican berries are beginning to cross into the states and we are expecting better numbers next week. The counts continue to be small with some issues of bruising on the fruit out of California. We are expecting some wet weather on Thursday and on Sunday night. This could keep the tight until the Mexican berries increase in Volume.
Green Onions
Green Onion production continues steady into transition. Demand is expected to improve for the Holidays and the market is likely to firm in coming weeks.
Oranges
Navel production is in full swing and volume is improving on fancy fruit. Choice supply is still a struggle at this point, with choice fruit only accounting for less than 20% of the total navel harvest. production is improving although total numbers are significantly less than previous years due to extreme weather conditions earlier in the year. This is one of the factors keeping the market strong. We expect a slight improvement in volume through next week. Quality remains good overall.
Cantaloupes
The market this week was flat and ebbed a bit as the supplies were ample to abundant. Domestic supplies continued and should continue on for another week or so. Caribbean supplies should increase as their deal beings to hit its productions stride. Mexico will continue to have steady supplies. Demand has been dulled by seasonally cold weather in the Midwest and East and that we are still in pre-warm destination vacation time period. Next week nothing looks to be changing much except that domestic supplies should wane over the period and Caribbean supplies should pick up. It is also a short buying week due to Thanksgiving. We look for a lower market next week.
Honeydews
Like cantaloupes, honeydew supplies increased as domestic producers were still harvesting as well as Mexico and they were joined by Caribbean product. Demand was dull due to cold weather in consumption areas and the unseasonable nature of the product.  Next week domestic supplies should be winding down, but the Caribbean supplies should pick up. Mexico should continue unchanged. Demand will be slowed once again by the unseasonable nature of the commodity and the short holiday buying week. We look for lower market on honeydews next week.
Organic Items
OG Broccoli & Cauliflower
Cauliflower: Production ​has begun to improve with transitional areas beginning,  supplementing existing  ​supplies and ​the market has started to settle at promotional levels. Take advantage of current overall supply before they ease back to normal levels.
Broccoli: Production ​has improved slightly ​ as well ​although cooler​, wet ​ weather is expected​. Supplies and quality will ​again be volatile through​ ​December.
OG Herbs & Bunch Greens
Most Herbs and Bunching Green will begin the transition south into the desert and Mexico next week causing intermittent shortages​ until a consistent labor force will be able to supply. ​
OG Leaf and Iceberg Lettuce
Leaf, Iceberg  as well as Romaine  from California have started to improve quality and demand has also increased with East coast demand slowly returning their attention to the West.
OG Root Vegetables
Carrot ​Production has improved slightly but advance notice is still required through December.
Potato supplies have been cut short due to extreme heat in the Central Valley this Summer. Supplies are expected to be limited through the Fall season.
Onion demand has been good with good supplies shifting to the Northwest.
OG Citrus
Lemons: Imports from Mexico have improved supplies and quality with 70% reported fancy. The desert crop has started with mostly fancy. Supplies are expected to improve by the end of the month.
Navels : New Crop has begun with improved sizing and quality. Demand continues strong. ​Expect  ​production to improve by the end of the month
Limes: Quality is starting to show signs of improvement and the market continues strong but is expected to ease as production increases.
Grapefruit: Supplies from the desert have begun but demand has kept prices elevated.
Mandarins:  The Clementine season is underway with good demand . Supplies are currently limited filling pent up demand for the Holidays.
OG Avocados
Mexico: The Main Fall crop continues steady as well as demand . Supplies have evened out and availability should be good through Mid December. The crop is currently peaking on 48’s with good oil content.
California: New Crop is not expected to start until early Winter
OG Melons
OG Watermelons: have transitioned to Mexico loading in McAllen and Nogales. Supplies are good although sizing has been peaking on smaller 45’sand 60’s
OG Cantaloupes and Honeydews: production from Arizona  ​remains steady ​for the next couple weeks with strong demand. Supplies from Mexico loading in Nogales have also begun with limited availability.
OG Grapes
Green & Red : All colors are experiencing tightened supplies and very good demand. The harvest is reaching its’ final stages. The quality continues to be very good. ​Although, Crimsons have been slow to color. ​Fresh harvest ​Greens ​have finished and Red Production ​is expected ​ to finish next week. ​Expect​ to have significantly less storage grapes available as yields have been impacted by the Summer long heat in the Central Valley. As a result pricing is​ expecte​d to escalate through the Holidays. Offshore supplies are anticipated to be slow to start. ​

Newsletter 11/9/17

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Lettuce
Transition continues for all shippers with a few overlapping production areas expected to continue through the weekend before everything starts to settle in the desert next week. With Yuma coming in earlier than anticipated many shippers are being forced to leave lettuce behind as the market has yet to recover from its’ hangover. Overall supplies should​ steady next week with one production area for most shippers Early quality from Yuma has been ok with some high core and fringe burn but color and texture have been an improvement over Huron and Salinas. We still expect some volatility  through Thanksgiving and into December where isolated plantings were damaged by flooding, although the majority of those acres were broccoli  Las Cruces New Mexico ​ continues for a couple more weeks with excellent quality , size and weight to fill any shortages you may encounter.
Mix Leaf
​Romaine and Romaine Heart production areas have begun to overlap and although demand continues strong increased supply is allowing for available volume discounts. We expect this to continue into next week as a few shippers will be motivated to move volume from one area or another.
Quality remains varied with signs of tip burn and seeder although most major issues are being trimmed. Romaine Heart quality has shown improvement with still some twist and ribby but most are being harvested younger with more green to camouflage any issues. ​ Demand for Green leaf and Red leaf is steady but transition will likely bring uneven supplies depending on your loading location. Las Cruces will continue to have supplies of Romaine through the transition.
Brussels Sprouts
Production continues from Northern California ​with good quality.
​Central Coast California supplies have improved and volume deals are available but demand ​continues strong for the Fall Holiday season. The​ market has adjusted slightly and deals will continue to be available but the floor appears to be elevated over past years.  Stalks are now available for the Holidays.
Celery
This market has slowed slightly this week as Santa Maria and Oxnard ramp up production. Good supplies are expected through the weekend. Next week we will see strengthening markets as the Thanksgiving pull increases. Freight is already high, and is expected to continue upward as demand for trucks increases and we get closer to the holiday week. Colder evening temperatures will also slow production. Expect strong markets to continue through the end of the month.
Broccoli
We are starting to see good supplies coming out of Central Mexico and prices are coming down. Look for prices to decline out of California as well as the Mexican product begins to hit the market. Quality out of Mexico is improving as they move into new fields that were not affected by the rains. California quality is good, there is some purpling on the domes due to the cooler weather. The Yuma region will start towards the end of the month.
Cauliflower
Prices have seemed to top out and we could start to see a decline in FOB’s starting early next week. Overall quality has been fair. We have seen some yellow cast and soft shoulders on some of the product coming out of both Santa Maria and Salinas.
Asparagus
​Surging production from Mexico and Peru continues with good availability
Demand has improved heading into Thanksgiving and the market has begun to firm to Ad levels.
Artichokes
Production has started to slow with cooler, more seasonable weather as demand has started to increase for the Holidays. Expect the market to rise through December before additional volume is expected.
Strawberries
Supplies will become lighter as production winds down in the Salinas/Watsonville area. We are expecting a demand exceed market into next week. We will begin to transition into southern California and Mexico. Santa Maria and Oxnard will have steady, but light supplies moving forward.Central Mexico fruit is starting to cross into Texas and barring any inclement weather, crossing will be on the rise. In the Salinas/Watsonville area, we are seeing some bruising and overripe. The average count is 28 to 32, some higher. The area is forecasted for cloudy skies with showers Thursday morning and partly cloudy Friday through the weekend. The weekend should see highs in the 60s and lows in the 50s decreasing to the 40s on Friday. In Santa Maria, California, we are seeing some bruising, soft shoulder and overripe, with occasional misshapen berries. Counts are averaging 24 to 28. Santa Maria is forecasted for mostly sunny with some partly cloudy skies. Highs in the 70s and lows in the 50s, decreasing to the 40s Friday through the weekend. In Oxnard, California, there is some bruising, with soft shoulder and overripe and occasional wind burn with counts averaging 22 to 24. Oxnard, is forecast to be mostly sunny with highs in the 60s and lows in the 50s.
Raspberries
Supplies remain consistent, but with the majority of harvest coming from Mexico, we expect some disruption due to the recent rains. Northern California will be winding down quickly as we move product out of Mexico. The product out of Mexico will be transferred to southern California, Yuma and Texas.
Blackberries
Product will be transitioning out of the North to Southern California , Yuma and Texas. We expect supplies to improve over the next 7 to 10 days. Quality of the Mexican Fruit has been good, with an occasional report of Red Cell.
Blueberries
Light volume continues to challenge the market place as loading days have been sporadic. Weather issues in Mexico and delayed transfer trucks crossing the boarder have been the norm. The east coast supplies have slowed down to the point as the supply is similar to the west coast. We are expecting increasing supplies over the next 2 weeks as the Chilean imports arrive. Quality on the imports has been excellent.
Green Onions
Green Onion production continues steady into transition. Demand is expected to improve for the Holidays and the market is likely to firm in coming weeks.
Oranges
Navel production is increasing and showing better numbers this week. Volume is not expected to be as high as last year, with season projections showing 15-20% lower this year. Any type of significant precipitation could pose challenges on this season’s crop and market spikes are expected. Quality has been nice overall with very few problems to report at this time.
Cantaloupes
Even though the domestic deal continued to struggle coming up with larger fruit (9 & J(9) the overall supply of product increased this week as Mexico stepped up its game and Off shores started in a very small way. Demand was slowed by colder weather striking the Midwest and East coast and by the lack of desirable retail sizes. Thus overall the market waned a bit. Next week Arizona will still be shipping albeit with sizes still skewing small. Mexico will continue to have robust supplies. Offshore will increase a bit as a couple of new producers will join the party with their first ships arriving. Offshore supplies are skewing larger. Demand could improve slightly for Thanksgiving but that is not a melon holiday so we don’t see any significant impact on the market. We look for steady to lower prices on larger fruit and continue discount dealing on smaller sizes next week.
Honeydews
Even though domestic production on honeydews never really got off the ground with any volume this year, Mexico hit its stride with a swell of supplies, running most to 5 and 6 size. Thus that deal dropped its prices prompting lower markets to develop in all areas. Like lopes Offshore supplies started to trickle in as well. Next week we see no significant increase in domestic production. Mexico will continue to have a bountiful supply and Offshore should begin to increase. Like cantaloupes we see little hope for improved demand keeping the market democratic and discounting next week.
Organic Items
OG Broccoli & Cauliflower
Cauliflower Production ​continues with light supplies and an active market with little volume available heading into the Holiday season. Book your orders early as cooler weather is forecast for the end of the week.
Broccoli  production ​has improved slightly although cooler weather is expected with surging Holiday demand. Supplies and quality
​will continue to be volatile through December .
OG Herbs & Bunch Greens
Most Herbs and Bunching Greens have experienced quality issues along with persistent insect pressure causing intermittent shortages. Local Homegrown supplies have diminished and have added pressure on West Coast supplies.
OG Leaf and Iceberg Lettuce
Leaf, Iceberg  as well as Romaine  from California have started to improve quality and demand has also increased with East coast demand slowly returning their attention to the West.
OG Root Vegetables
Carrot ​Production has improved slightly but advance notice is still required through December.
Potato supplies have been cut short due to extreme heat in the Central Valley this Summer. Supplies are expected to be limited through the Fall season.
Onion demand has been good with good supplies shifting to the Northwest.
OG Citrus
Lemons: Imports from Mexico have improved supplies and quality with 70% reported fancy. The desert crop has started with mostly fancy. Supplies are expected to improve by the end of the month.
Navels: New Crop has begun with improved sizing and quality. Demand continues strong. ​Expect  ​production to improve by the end of the month.
Limes: Quality is starting to show signs of improvement and the market continues strong but is expected to ease as production increases.
Grapefruit:  Supplies from the desert have begun but demand has kept prices elevated.
 Mandarins:  The Clementine season is underway with good demand. Supplies are currently limited filling pent up demand for the Holidays.
OG Avocados
Mexico: The Main Fall crop continues steady as well as demand . Supplies have evened out and availability should be good through Mid December. The crop is currently peaking on 48’s and 60s with improved oil content.
California: New Crop is not expected to start until early Winter.
OG Melons
OG Watermelons: have transitioned to Mexico loading in McAllen and Nogales. Supplies are good although sizing has been peaking on smaller 45’sand 60’s
OG Cantaloupes and Honeydews: production
from Arizona  ​remains steady ​for the next couple weeks
with strong demand. Supplies from Mexico loading in Nogales have also begun with limited availability.
OG Grapes
Green & Red : All colors are experiencing tightened supplies and very good demand. The harvest is reaching its’ final stages. The quality continues to be very good ​although Scarlett’s have been slow to color. Expect Greens to finish this week and Red Production to finish next week. Also expect to have significantly less storage grapes available as yields have been impacted by the Summer long heat in the Central Valley. As a result pricing is expected to escalate through the Holidays.

Newsletter 11/1/17

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Lettuce
​As shippers prepare for the secondary transition to Yuma Arizona the market remains sluggish after the hangover caused by anticipated shortages this week and next. Most shippers production will be spread throughout the West as they transition south for the Winter. Some will overlap a few days while others will gap. Overall supplies should​ be steady but depending on your required loading location the market will be tiered. Quality will be the other driving factor as quality from Salinas and Huron have been fair to adequate while Yuma is uncertain although initial reports have been good. Expect some volatility  through Thanksgiving.  Las Cruces New Mexico ​ continues with excellent quality , size and weight to fill in any upcoming shortages you may encounter.
Mix Leaf
​Romaine and Romaine Heart demand continues strong with stable pricing. Transition to the Desert will bring volatility to the market as shippers will stagger their move south.  Quality remains varied with signs of tip burn and seeder although most major issues are being trimmed. Romaine Heart quality continues to struggle as well with twist, ribby and high core.​ Demand for Green leaf and Red leaf is steady but transition will likely bring uneven supplies depending on your loading location. Las Cruces will continue to have supplies of Romaine through the transition..
Brussels Sprouts
Production continues from Northern California ​with improving quality. Central Coast California supplies have improved and volume deals are available but demand ​continues strong for the Fall Holiday season. The​ market has adjusted slightly and deals will continue to be available but the floor appears to be elevated over past years.
Celery
There is a much stronger market this week as Salinas production slows and more pressure is put on Santa Maria and Oxnard growing regions. There is stronger overall demand which is expected to increase as we head into November. We expect stronger markets and better demand through thanksgiving. Quality is strong with very few problems to report in Salinas, Santa Maria, or Oxnard.
Broccoli
Demand and pricing remain steady. It looks as though the current pricing structure will remain intact through next week. The shippers in the Mendota growing area of California have started but supplies remain somewhat limited from the central coast of California and Mexico. Overall quality out of California is fair with some purpling due to cooler nighttime temperatures. We should start to see better quality out of Central Mexico starting next week as they start to harvest fields that were not affected by the late season rains.
Cauliflower
Supplies will remain limited for the rest of the week. Lighter than normal supplies are forecasted for next week as well. Overall quality is fair, there is some yellow cast and the occasional richness or soft shoulder but it is not prevalent through out the industry.
Asparagus
​Surging production from Mexico and Peru continues with good availability. Demand is expected ​​to improve heading into Thanksgiving and the market has begun to artificially improve in anticipation.
Artichokes
​Seeded varieties are in full production with sizing profiles from Large to medium. Demand is starting to improve especially on larger sizes ​heading into the Fall.
Strawberries
Supplies are expected to be limited through the weekend and into the middle of next week. We are expecting rain this weekend in all the California growing regions. Oxnard and Santa Maria is only forecast for rain on Monday, but Salinas and Watsonville will get scattered rain Saturday thru Monday. This could bring an early end to the season for some growers. Overall quality has been fair to good, but the effect of the heat we experienced last week has left the industry with small berry size. Average counts have been 28 to 32 in the North and 22 to 24 count in the South. Production out Mexico has started and will increase next week out of McAllen, Texas. Florida berries should be available the 1st week of December depending on weather.
Raspberries
We expect Raspberries supplies to remain steady for the next 7 to 10 days.California shippers are winding down but the shipments out of Mexico are on the rise.
Blackberries
Transfer trucks have been hampering the market as supplies at the cooler level have been sporadic. We expect these transportation issues to smooth out and better supplies will become available. Mexico will be the primary growing area going forward.
Blueberries
Good supplies became limited as weather issues are affecting supplies out of Uruguay as they were hit hard with rain and hail last weekend. The initial reports out of this area is going to be a devastating crop loss on the remaining fruit. Mexico’s production is expecting to increase and with new arrivals expected from Peru and Argentina the supply interruption should be short term.
Green Onions
Green Onion production ​continues steady into transition. Demand is expected to improve for the Holidays and the market is likely to firm in coming weeks.
Oranges
Navel production is increasing which has helped take some of the strain off of the market. We expect production to continue increasing over the next few weeks. Early quality reports on navels are positive, with good color and strong fruit. Demand is still very strong and we expect high pricing through next week, continuing into the holiday pull. Mostly fancy fruit is available with light numbers reported on choice through next week.
Cantaloupes
As expected cantaloupes rose a bit this week and stayed firm with tight supplies. Sizes ebbed and peaked mostly on 12s and smaller. Much of the supplies are pre-committed with long standing deals at lower prices. Next week, things do not look to change much. Spot market demand has been greatly inhibited by the high prices and limited availability of product. However, supplies have remained stubbornly light, with few suppliers this week and white fly rampant. We expect the market to remain steady with possibly some deals surfacing on the slower shipping days, and some of the more popular sizes and best quality trading higher.
Honeydews
This year supplies are very light. Domestically they have limited by a smaller pool of producers and white fly just like cantaloupes. Mexico has their deal going, but they have been in and out of supplied due to planting and harvesting rain gaps. Sizes have skewed in both areas to 5/6s. Supplies will continue to be challenged domestically and Mexico will benefit from spillover demand. Their production will also continue to be inconsistent and cooler weather is expected next week keeping the light production narrative in force. We look for a steady market next week.
Organic Items
OG Broccoli & Cauliflower
Cauliflower production continues with light to moderate supplies and the market is active heading into the Holiday promotional season. Book your orders early as cooler weather is forecast for the end of the week.
Broccoli  production has improved slightly although cooler weather is expected with surging Holiday demand. Supplies and quality ​ will continue to be volatile through November.
OG Herbs & Bunch Greens
Most Herbs and Bunching Greens have experienced quality issues along with persistent insect pressure causing intermittent shortages . Local Homegrown supplies have diminished and have added pressure on West Coast supplies . ​
OG Leaf and Iceberg Lettuce
Leaf, Iceberg  as well as Romaine  from California with heat and insect pressure will continue to impact supplies and improved demand will allow markets to react sharply with homegrown production coming to an end. West Coast supplies will continue to be sporadic through Mid November.
OG Root Vegetables
Carrot ​Production has improved slightly but advance notice is still required through November.
Potato supplies have been cut short due to extreme heat in the Central Valley this Summer. Supplies are expected to be limited through the Fall season.
Onion demand has been good with good supplies shifting to the Northwest.
OG Citrus
Lemons: Imports from Mexico have improved supplies and quality with 70% reported fancy. The desert crop has started with mostly fancy but
​limited ​supplies.
Navels :
​New Crop has begun with inconsistent sizing and quality . Demand continues strong . ​Expect ​production to improve by mid November
Limes: Quality is starting to show signs of improvement and the market is expected to ease as we
​start ​​​the month.
Grapefruit:  Supplies from the desert appear ready to start from the desert but pent-up demand will keep prices elevated through November.
OG Melons
OG Watermelons have transitioned to Mexico loading in McAllen and Nogales. Supplies are good although sizing has been peaking on smaller 45’sand 60’s OG Cantaloupes and Honeydews production from  Arizona ​remains steady ​for the next couple weeks​ with strong demand. Supplies from Mexico loading in Nogales have also begun with limited availability.
OG Avocados
Mexico: The Main Fall crop
​continues steady as well as demand. Most growers are letting fruit size up so they are not at maximum production. Supplies are​ expected to be heavy once full production is allowed. The crop is currently peaking on 48’s and 60s with improved oil content.
California: New Crop is not expected to start until early Winter
OG Berries
OG Strawberries
Soft fruit continues to be the norm with small fruit susceptible to bruising.
​Most shippers are quoting such and are encouraging shipments to remain on the West Coast. ​ Oxnard has better sizing and improved quality but very limited. A spike in temperatures ​last ​week ​lead to poor arrivals. Cooler weather is forecast for the weekend along with rain which will bring a premature end to most old crop berries.
OG Blueberries
OG Blueberries
Supplies have begun to improve with some shippers offering promotional pricing once again.
OG Grapes
Green & Red : All colors are experiencing tightened supplies and very good demand. The quality continues to be very good
​although Scarlett’s have been slow to color. Production is expected to last for another couple weeks before offshore imports increase.

Newsletter 9/28/17

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Lettuce
As expected light supplies have led to a sharp rise in the Lettuce market. For most of the Summer West Coast supplies have been moderate but until now we haven’t felt much of an effect because demand has not been strong with plenty of East coast grown product. A surge in demand as the market was firming helped push prices higher but the processors further fueled the market as they have been purchasing acres to offset low yields and light weights. Some shippers were offering small size 30s at discount prices as late as this week but have since forced contracts to use or have sold those acres to processors. Also looming is transition to the Central Valley where sustained heat All Summer is likely to continue with quality issues.and lower yields .
Mix Leaf
​Romaine and Romaine Heart demand is improving as continued lower yields are affecting supplies. Still showing signs of tip burn and seeder as well as rib blight although most major issues are being trimmed. Romaine Heart quality continues to struggle as well with twist, ribby seeder and discoloration on arrival. In short quality is marginal at best. Both markets are expected to shadow the iceberg market as it heads higher. Demand for ​​Green and Red leaf is starting to improve also as supplies are being affected from heat related issues.
Brussels Sprouts
Production continues from Northern California ​ with improving quality but still showing varied sizing , discoloration and insect pressure. Eastern Canada local production is underway and Central Coast California supplies are expected to improve as many shippers are starting their Freezer production which will translate to increased supplies and lower pricing. Fall promotions will be available although strong demand will keep supplies moving.
Celery
This market remains sluggish and is expected to continue through next week. After next week we could see stronger markets as Michigan and Northeastern growing regions wrap up production for the season. Salinas production will continue into November, with Oxnard starting the end of October. We could see lighter production and stronger markets towards the middle of October in the weeks before Oxnard production begins.
Bell Pepper
​Green Bell production in Gilroy and Hollister continues strong with good demand and strong but stable pricing. Red Bell supplies have peaked with also good demand and steady pricing.
Broccoli
Prices remain strong out of California. The information that we have gathered is that we should start to see a little more volume being harvested by the end of the week and maybe some price relief. Quality is still marginal at best with some spread, purple color of the domes and the occasional cateye, although it has gotten better over the last few days. Production out of Central Mexico has picked up this week and pricing is more aggressive out of there compared to California. One thing to be aware of out of Mexico at times like this when pricing is high is to make sure you know where your broccoli is originating as you will get a lot of growers diverting from their freezer contract and sending to the fresh market and they may not have all the correct food safety documents in place. We will have our Primus Certified ( certificates available upon request) Shui Ling crowns available for loading on Saturday. Check with your Produce West salesperson for pricing.
Asparagus
​Supplies are expected to increase from Mexico and Peru and the market will ease sharply heading into October.
Cauliflower
Demand exceeds and will remain like this through the week. Lighter supplies due to mildew issues is causing the current situation. Overall quality is fair at best, some soft shoulder and light yellow cast of both the dome and the jacket leaves. If you will be needing any flower for the remainder of this week we recommend you pre book.
Artichokes
Seeded varieties are in full production with sizing profiles from Large to medium. Limited demand has kept markets depressed most of the Summer but look for better demand heading into the Fall.
Strawberries
Salinas & Watsonville has begun to lighten up volume as we begin the shift to Santa Maria and Oxnard. The 3 growing areas have created a wide range in pricing and quality. The new crop fruit will continue to command a premium over the more Northern growing areas. Demand is expected to be strong through the weekend and into next week.
Green Onions
Green Onion production was severely affected by Tropical rain storms. The market reacted sharply but has now peaked and slowed demand with lower pricing although supplies have yet to fully recover and the market is trying to find its’ equilibrium.
Oranges
Valencias will be mostly finished by next week. It is a demand exceeds supply scenario for the next month. Normally the Valencia supplies can carry us through the month of October until the navel season starts, but the severe rain and heat this year devastated supplies and ended the season several weeks earlier than expected. Elevated pricing in effect and will continue through November.
Melons
The Westside enters its windup period next week on both lopes and dews. At the same time the desert deal is starting on both. But there are only a handful of growers this year in the desert. The lack of demand kept the prices in check on lopes with the market rising only moderately. Honeydews rose more. With volumes dropping we look for an improving market on both next week.
Organic Items
OG Broccoli & Cauliflower
Production has slowed and supplies have been limited and will continue to be limited well into October. Broccoli  ​production​ continues to suffer from quality issues mainly due to heat the past three weeks. Supplies and quality may improve with cooler Fall weather pattern.
OG Herbs & Bunch Greens
Most Herbs and Bunching Greens have experienced quality issues along with persistent insect pressure causing intermittent shortages although local Homegrown supplies continue to be sufficient to offset any availability issues. ​
OG Leaf and Iceberg Lettuce
Leaf, Iceberg  ​as well as Romaine  ​from California with heat and insect pressure will continue to impact supplies and now a spike in demand will allow markets to react sharply although competition from homegrown supplies continue to keep demand capped..
OG Root Vegetables
Carrot ​Production has finally succumb to continued excessive heat in the Central Valley joining  Potato supplies that have been cut short due to extreme heat in the Central Valley this Summer. Supplies are expected to be limited through the Fall season. Onion demand has been good with good supplies shifting to the Northwest.
OG Citrus
Lemons: Imports from Mexico have improved supplies and the market has settled from its’ Summer high although quality has yielded less than 50% fancy. The desert crop is expected to begin next month which could help further reduce pricing.
Limes: Quality is starting to show signs of improvement although still not ideal after a string of Tropical storms affected quality and supplies.
Grapefruit: Supplies from the desert appear to be a few weeks away.
OG Melons
Watermelons have been ​hampered all season by heat and delays on new plantings leading to limited production from California . Supplies have improved lately but excessive heat this past weekend will bring an early end to the season by the end of the month.
OG Cantaloupes and Honeydews production has been slowed by heat and has brought an abrupt end to the season.
OG Avocados
Mexico: The Main Fall crop has started to improve availability this week and Demand has likely peaked after historically high pricing the past month. The crop is currently peaking on 48’s and 60s with moderate oil content. The market is expected to correct as supplies continue to improve heading into October.
California: New Crop is not expected to start ​until late Fall​​ .
OG Berries
TOG Strawberries
Soft fruit continues to be the norm with small fruit susceptible to bruising. The Fall crop from Santa Maria was expected to improve supplies and quality but yields haven’t been ideal and quality improvement was short lived. Oxnard will start their new crop in coming weeks with better sizing and hopefully better quality.
OG Blueberries
Supplies remain limited awaiting the first large arrivals of import fruit delayed by Hurricanes and Tropical storms. Domestic harvest has been trending downward over the last couple of weeks, and will likely finish the season by the end of the week. Markets have been firm as supplies are becoming increasingly limited.

9/21/17

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Lettuce
Lettuce supplies continue to be light to moderate but with demand to match. Growers continue to see damage on younger plantings which will keep supplies in check heading into October. Expect the market to react quickly with any hint of demand. Lighter color and weights have been common with seeder, and occasional rib discoloration.
Mix Leaf
Romaine is still showing signs of sunburn, tipburn and seeders as well as rib blight although most major issues are being trimmed. Romaine Heart quality is struggling with twist, ribby seeder with discoloration likely on arrival. In short quality is going to be marginal at best. Both markets are expected to fluctuate with mostly higher pricing as growers monitor damage to determine best possible harvest options to maximize production. Demand for ​​Green and Redleaf is starting to improve as supplies are being affected from heat related issues. Most of the early demand is from shipper community but will translate into tighter supplies for the industry.
Brussels Sprouts
Production continues from Northern California ​ with improving quality but still showing varied sizing , discoloration and insect pressure. Eastern Canada local production is underway and Central Coast California supplies are expected to improve as many shippers will start Freezer production in coming weeks which will increase supplies significantly. Fall promotions will be available although strong demand will keep supplies moving.
Celery
This market remains sluggish this week. Plenty of product available and shippers are looking to move. We are seeing some early signs of strengthening markets for next week. This is likely the result of the record heat we expecrienced 3 weeks ago. Plant development was accelerated, creating gaps in harvest for the following month. Michigan still continues to produce good numbers, however, which will keep this market from gaining too much momentum. Quality is good overall, some seeder has been reported.
Bell Pepper
​​Green Bell production in Gilroy and Hollister continues strong withgood demand and strong but stable pricing . Red Bell supplies have peaked with also good demand and steady pricing.
Broccoli
The market remains strong although demand does not seem as brisk as it was last week. California growers are still having quality issues that continue to limit their yields. The main quality issues that we are finding are cateye ( brown bead) and spreading of the domes again caused by the weather we had along the central coast two weeks ago. The East Coast demand continues to get filled by the regional growing areas of Maine and Canada along with very limited amounts out of Central Mexico.​
Cauliflower
Demand seems to be gaining a little momentum as we head towards the end of the week. Cooler nights which aid in slowing down the growth process along with an increase in demand from processors the last couple of days have helped clean up the abundant supply of product we have had over the last few weeks. Overall quality is similar to what we have seen since last week which is some soft shoulder, a light cream cast on the domes and some riciness.
Artichokes
​Seeded varieties are in full production with sizing profiles from Large to medium. Limited Summer demand continues to keep pricing depressed. Look for Fall promotions to firm the market heading into October.
Strawberries
As we continue to move away from heat and rain damage we experienced a few weeks ago, expect quality to improve and see less bruising and soft fruit in the market place. A few Oxnard suppliers have started shipping limited numbers with forecast for increasing numbers over the coming weeks. The weather forecast for next week looks very favorable for all the California grower areas. We are looking for larger counts and a firmer berry at shipping point.
Blueberries
As production falls out of BC and Michigan areas, expect tight supplies until Peru and Argentine fruit increases in volume.
Blackberries
The California supplies took a hit with the heat and rain from a few weeks ago. Mexican supplies will continue to be light until the end of the month.
Raspberries
Raspberries will continue to light into next week. Poor weather int he Central Mexico regions has hammered the expected volume out of this area.
Green Onions
​Green Onion production was severely affected by Tropical rain storm and tightened supplies. The market reacted sharply but has now peaked with demand likely to slow.
Oranges
Valencia supplies are extremely tight and markets are strengthening daily. With fewer and fewer growers still producing, the window is closing on the central valley season, creating wide gaps in supply before transition into Navels. Recent heat did not help matters, and we expect the next few weeks to be extremely challenging on the supply side. Expect markets to continue inching upward with no relief in the near future.
Cantaloupes
Supplies were adequate this week. Sizes are a bit smaller peaking on 9sand 12s with less jbo 9s. Quality was good. Demand was just a skosh better allowing g the marker to rise a couple of ticks with much less discounting. Next week weather will be moderate but the supply picture is a little muddied as the deal enters its last acreage. Demand will be fair as parts of the country struggles with post hurricane recovey. We look for a steady market next week with some discounting below quoted markets.
Honeydews
The same weather conditions that moderated supplies on lopes affected overall supply and sizing on dews. Demand was aided by the seasonal nature of honeydews which many consumers think is a fall melon. At the same time demand was hampered by natural disasters. Next week growers will also be breaking their last blocks. But districts north of Sacramento go later than the Westside. Sizing will Still leak on 5s and 6s. We look for steady pricing with discounts on the slower demand days.
Organic Items
OG Broccoli & Cauliflower
Production has begun to slow and is expected to further stall as Fall weather pattern has begun to take hold. The market is expected to firm into next month   Broccoli  ​production​ was expected to improve but insect pressure and heat related issues have limited production. Growers are still estimating improved supplies to end the month.  ​
OG Herbs & Bunch Greens
Most Herbs and Bunching Greens have experienced quality issues along with persistent insect pressure causing intermittent shortages although local Homegrown supplies have been sufficient to offset any availability issues.
OG Leaf and Iceberg Lettuce
Leaf, Iceberg  ​as well as Romaine  ​from California with heat and insect pressure will continue to impact supplies. Markets continue steady with limited demand due to competition from homegrown supplies.
OG Root Vegetables
Carrot ​Production has finally succumb to continued excessive heat in the Central Valley joining  Potato supplies that have been cut short due to extreme heat in the Central Valley this Summer. Supplies are expected to be limited through the Fall season. Onion demand has been good with good supplies from Central California.
OG Citrus
Lemons: Imports from Mexico have improved supplies and the market has settled from its’ Summer high. The desert crop is expected to begin next month which could help further reduce pricing.
Limes: Quality is starting to show signs of improvement although still not ideal after a string of Tropical storms affected supplies.
OG Melons
 Watermelons have been ​hampered all season by heat and delays on new plantings leading to limited production from California . Supplies have improved lately but excessive heat this past weekend will bring an early end to the season by the end of the month.
OG Cantaloupes and Honeydews production has been slowed by heat and will likely bring an abrupt end to the season.
OG Avocados
Mexico: The summer crop is small with limited availability. Demand exceeds supplies as the U.S. market is pushing upward rapidly. This looks to be a continued trend. The crop is currently peaking on 60s and smaller. Mexico’s new main crop is expected to start by the end of the month if maturity level of the fruit is sufficient to harvest.
California: New Crop is not expected to start ​until late Fall​​ .
OG Berries
TOG Strawberries
Soft fruit continues to be the norm especially on the Summer crop which was small and susceptible to bruising prior to last weekends heatwave. The Fall crop is starting to shows signs of improvement and should provide better supplies as the weather pattern is forecast to return to normal.
OG Blueberries
Supplies remain limited awaiting the first large arrivals of import fruit delayed by Hurricanes and Tropical storms. Domestic harvest has been trending downward over the last couple of weeks, and will likely finish the season by the end of the week. Markets have been firm as supplies are becoming increasingly limited

Newsletter 8/30/17

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Lettuce
 Lukewarm demand has kept markets from overheating although the weather is expected to “overheat” this weekend which will bring about quality and labor issues likely impacting supplies. Highs are expected to reach triple digits in many areas other than right along the coast. More lettuce acreage is transitioning further South in the Valley where the highest temperatures are expected. Most shippers will begin to increase their acreage heading into September expecting lower yields but with improved demand.
Mix Leaf
​Romaine market has improved with mostly steady supplies and good demand. Romaine Hearts have also improved but not quite as strong with many shippers are stripping down their off quality Romaine into Hearts . Quality continues to vary with fringe burn , mildew and insect pressure along with seeders and twisting. .​ Demand for ​​Green and Red leaf lag behind while continuing to show variable quality around the Valley. Local Homegrown production areas are experiencing less than ideal weather although continuing to compete with California market.Hot weather this weekend could impact supplies and provide for sudden price fluctuations.
Brussels Sprouts
​Production continues from Northern California ​ with improving quality but still showing varied sizing , discoloration and insect pressure. Supplies are expected to improve in coming weeks as most shippers will start their Freezer production which will increase supplies significantly although demand is expected to correspondingly increase heading into the Fall season.
Celery
Good supplies continue this week out of the central coast. Michigan is still producing plenty of volume, keeping this market depressed for now. Large sizing remains the most plentiful and shippers are listening to offers. Quality is nice with very few problems to report.
Bell Pepper
Green Bell production in Gilroy and Hollister continues strong with stable pricing . Red Bells are just starting to improve supplies and pricing is expected to adjust.
Broccoli
Market remains unchanged as Eastern markets continue to be inundated with local product. Although supplies are somewhat limited on the West Coast they are able to take care of the demand west of the Mississippi. We do not expect to see much fluctuation with the market over the next 10 days.
Cauliflower
It has been awhile since we have seen the market sit on the floor for this period of time. We are beginning our fourth week of very low FOB pricing and there does not look to be an end in sight. Shippers are making deals for all delivery locations. Get with your Produce West sales representative and get some orders on the books.
Artichokes
​Seeded varieties are in full production with sizing profiles from Large to medium. Limited Summer demand has kept pricing down although could improve later next month.
Strawberries
The market tightened up due to the Labor Day pull and lighter yields from the fields. The Watsonville and Santa Maria areas have been experiencing warmer temperatures than normal and we are forecast for temperatures in the high 90’s for the weekend. Expect prices to range from $ 12 to $ 16 thru the middle of next week. New Crop fruit is now underway out of Santa Maria.
Oranges
Valencias are becoming very active as supplies diminish for the season in the central valley. With overall production down 20% this year, suppliers are struggling to keep up with demand. Quality is marginal at best, but with so little fruit available customers have to take what they can get. Some growers have less than 2 weeks left in their harvest schedule and navels are not expected to start until mid October. This will leave 3-4 weeks of very little product. Expect elevated pricing this fall.
Cantaloupes
Demand for cantaloupes stayed stubbornly slow for spot market sales, but contract sales and a few holiday promotions firmed the market a bit and greatly diminished the below quote discounts. Sizes were a tad smaller; still peaking on 9s but with few jbo 9s and more 12s. This also cut yields as it takes more melons of smaller sizes to fill up a carton, cutting down on total carton counts. The weather this week turned hot and this should keep sizing on the smaller side next week. Demand could diminish a bit as holiday will be over and Texas will be all but eliminated from the demand picture. We look for a steady quoted market with jbo 9s trading a bit higher and discounting becoming more prevalent on 12s.
Honeydews
Little change this week in honeydews. Sizes continued to run heavy to 5s then 6s then jbo 5s. Demand was dull, as there was little holiday promotional activity; and cantaloupes remained cheap and plentiful, along with local melons. Next week sizing could shrink a bit in the face of record breaking heat. This in turn could cut carton counts coming from the fields. Demand should remain dull, with peak autumn demand not starting for a couple of weeks and of course the Texas tragedy. Market should be steady next week with perhaps a firming up of jbo 5s.
Organic Items
OG Broccoli & Cauliflower
Cauliflower supplies have increased significantly and the market has corrected. Supplies could be impacted by this weekends heatwave. Broccoli  ​production​ remains to be impacted by insect pressure with overall light supplies​. The market has remained firm on limited supplies​. This weekends heat should only compound the insect pressure. ​
OG Herbs & Bunch Greens
​Most Herbs and Bunching Greens have experienced quality issues along with persistent insect pressure causing intermittent shortages although local Homegrown supplies have been sufficient to offset any availability issues. ​
OG Leaf and Iceberg Lettuce
​Supplies have improved on  Leaf, Iceberg  ​as well as Romaine  ​from California ​although heat and insect pressure will continue to impact supplies. Markets continue steady with limited demand sue to competition from homegrown supplies.
OG Root Vegetables
Carrot production continues to be strong although the heat has impacted harvest and quality. ​ This weekends spike will likely has an impact especially on the tops. Onion ​demand has been good with good supplies from Central California while  Potato supplies have been cut short due to extreme heat in the Central Valley this Summer .
OG Citrus
Lemons: Supplies from California continue to be limited while Chilean imports are helping overall availability and Mexico is improving although peaking on choice fruit after being hindered and delayed by Tropical storms.
Limes: The market continues to be strong with continued weather from Mexico hampering supplies but should rebound with drier conditions.
OG Melons
​Central Valley Watermelons have been ​hampered all season by heat and delays on new plantings leading to limited production from California. OG Cantaloupes and Honeydews production has been steady with moderate supplies and good demand.
OG Avocados
Mexico: The summer crop is small with limited availability. Demand exceeds supplies as the U.S. market is pushing upward rapidly. This looks to be a continued trend. The crop is currently peaking on 60s and smaller. Mexico’s new main crop is expected to start mid-September if maturity level of the fruit is sufficient to harvest.
California: New Crop is not expected to start ​until the Fall​​.
OG Berries
Strawberry production from Salinas and Watsonville continues with small sizing and varied quality due to fluctuating high temperatures and overcast weather. Production ​of​ New Crop from Southern California has begun on limited supplies and improved sizing and quality leading to a tiered market. Blueberry ​supplies are expected to decrease from the Northwest.

Newsletter 8/23/17

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Lettuce
 Mild temperatures along the coast have allowed shippers to get ahead of their lettuce crop and lighter weights and yields have resulted in reduced industry volume. Most shippers shot up pricing rapidly although most of the demand was coming from other shippers. Nevertheless the market reacted although lukewarm demand has since stabilized pricing. Quality appears to be unchanged varying from excellent to fair throughout the valley. Tip burn and mildew are visible on many lots with varying degrees of color and weight.
Mix Leaf
Romaine market remains steady with mild to moderate demand and Romaine Heart production has steadied with sporadic demand. Quality has varied with fringe burn, mildew and seeder pressure. Green and Red leaf are also showing variable quality around the valley. Local Homegrown production areas continue with some weather issues but will continue to put pressure on California market to remain steady although with many shippers in their reduced summer acreage ,spikes in demand could lead to sudden price fluctuations.
Brussels Sprouts
Production continues from California with improving quality but still showing varied sizing, discoloration and insect pressure. Supplies are not expected to increase for another month.
Celery
Plenty of product at extreme bargain prices. Shippers are looking to move on all sizes. Better deals are being made on large sized celery. Quality is very nice industry wide. Some seeder has been reported although the damage is minimal. Michigan is still in full production, easing demand on the west coast. Plenty of deals so run offers by us.
Bell Pepper
Green Bell production in Gilroy and Hollister continues strong with stable pricing. Red Bells continue to be strong although supplies are expected to increase in coming weeks.
Broccoli
Market remains unchanged as Eastern markets continue to be inundated with local product. Although supplies are somewhat limited on the West Coast they are able to take care of the demand west of the Mississippi. We do not expect to see much fluctuation with the market over the next 10 days.
Cauliflower
It has been awhile since we have seen the market sit on the floor for this period of time. We are beginning our fourth week of very low FOB pricing and there does not look to be an end in sight. Shippers are making deals for all delivery locations. Get with your Produce West sales representative and get some orders on the books.
Artichokes
Seeded varieties are in full production with sizing profiles from Large to medium sizing. Limited Summer demand continues although expected to improve in coming weeks.
Strawberries
The market continues steady as the market has a $4.00 range, due to quality differences. The weather on the central coast remains foggy in the AM with clearing in the afternoon. The primary growing areas, Santa Maria, Salinas and Watsonville are expecting steady volume through the labor day weekend. We are entering the labor day pull for our friends on the East coast, so look for the market to tighten, but prices should continue to remain in the $8.00 to $12.00 range.
Oranges
Strong demand for California fruit this week as schools return to session, particularly on the small sized fruit. Demand exceed supply on 113 and 138 size Valencias. Strong demand will continue through labor day as many central valley growers finish up for the season . The fruit is starting to show signs of stress from excessive heat all summer long. Expect stronger markets through the weekend and even lighter supply next week.
Cantaloupes
The market as expected stayed dull thru the first part of this week and not so expected has stayed stubbornly slow so far. Product has been plentiful, especially in light of the poor demand. Local product and a general lack in promotional interest has kept the market depressed with many sellers offering discounts on all levels of the distribution chain. Quality overall has been good. Sizing seems evenly split between jbo 9s and 9s with 12s a bit lighter in supply. Weather will be a bit warmer next week in the San Joaquin and production is expected to keep going. Demand could improved due to the return of school programs, but so far it has not been felt. We look for a steady and dull market next week.
Honeydews
As they have for the past several weeks honeydew markets have mirrored cantaloupes. Demand has been dull. Production has been ample; sizing has been peaking on 5s then Jbo 5s then 6s. Quality has been good. Market stayed dull and steady this week. Next week little looks to change on the production side. Good growing conditions should keep harvests plentiful. Sizing looks to change little as well. Demand could possibly improve with the arrival of September, which traditionally is good demand month for dews. But this year demand has been stubbornly slow and there is nothing that looks to change that. Little change expected next week.
Organic Items
OG Broccoli & Cauliflower
Cauliflower supplies have increased dramatically and the market has begun to correct although Broccoli  production continues to be steady with overall light supplies and good demand. Insect pressure is the main culprit limiting supplies. The market has remained firm on limited supplies but should ease as quality improves in coming weeks.
OG Herbs & Bunch Greens
Most of the Herbs and Bunching Greens have experienced quality issues along with persistent insect pressure causing intermittent shortages although local Homegrown supplies have been sufficient to offset any availability issues.
OG Leaf and Iceberg Lettuce
Supplies have improved on Leaf, Iceberg  as well as Romaine from California although heat and insect pressure will continue to impact supplies. Markets continue steady with limited demand to due competition from homegrown supplies.
OG Root Vegetables
Carrot production continues to be strong although the heat has impacted harvest and quality. Onion demand has been good with good quality White, Yellow and Red Onion supplies from Central California while Potato supplies have been limited due to extreme heat in the Central Valley.
OG Citrus
Lemons: Supplies from California continue to be limited while Chilean imports are helping overall availability and Mexico is improving although peaking on choice fruit after being hindered and delayed by Tropical storms.
Limes: The market continues to be strong with continued weather from Mexico hampering supplies but should rebound with drier conditions.
OG Melons
Central Valley  Watermelons have been hampered all season by heat and delays on new plantings leading to limited production from California.  OG Cantaloupes and Honeydews  production has been steady with moderate supplies.
OG Avocados
Mexico: The summer crop is small with limited availability. Demand exceeds supplies as the U.S. market is pushing upward rapidly. This looks to be a continued trend. The crop is currently peaking on 60s and smaller. Mexico’s new main crop is expected to start mid-September if maturity level of the fruit is sufficient to harvest.
California: New Crop is not expected to start for 3-4 weeks .
OG Berries
Strawberry production from Salinas and Watsonville continues with varying sizing and quality due to fluctuating high temperatures and overcast weather. The market has tried to strengthen on better quality although bruising remains prevalent. Some Fall crop production has started from Santa Maria with improved sizing although limited supplies are expected until next month.

8/10/17

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Lettuce

Last weekends warming trend produced hot, humid conditions along the coast andaccelerated growth adding volume to an already tepid market. Quality appears to be unchanged varying from excellent to  fair throughout the valley. Tip burn and mildew  are visible on many lots with the best quality having lighter weights and darker color. Forecast calls for more moderate temperatures which could return supplies to more sustainable levels  and steady the market.
Mix Leaf

Romaine market  remains steady with mild demand and  Romaine Heart production has surged causing the market to soften for most shippers. Quality has also downgraded with fringe burn, mildew and seeder pressure all increasing as well as building inventories leading to aging product. Mild temperatures this week will help  shippers ease production and help  stabilize the market. Green and Red leaf  are also showing variable quality around the valley. Local Homegrown production areas continue with some weather issues but will continue to put pressure on California market to remain steady although with many shippers in their reduced summer acreage ,spikes in demand could lead to sudden price fluctuations.
Brussels Sprouts
Production continues from California with improving quality but still showing varied sizing, discoloration and  insect pressure.  Supplies  are not expected to increase for another month.
Celery
Much slower market this week as local and regional areas increase production throughout the country.  Salinas and Santa Maria are producing good, high quality volume and shippers are looking to deal on most sizes, especially 24 and 30 count celery.  Be sure to run deals by us, as it will likely be a buyers market for the next couple of weeks.
Bell Pepper
Green Bell production in Gilroy and Hollister has started to  peak  with  better pricing available.  Increased production on Red Bells will follow by next week which should allow the market to adjust.
Broccoli
Sufficient supplies out of California, Maine and Canada are keeping up with demand creating a very dull market and making buyers complacent.  Shippers on the East Coast are not very interested  California or Mexico product.  Movement is sluggish and does not look to change for the remainder of the week.  Overall quality out of California has been nice and Mexico is a mixed bag due to the on and off again rains that growing region has been dealing with over the last few weeks.
Cauliflower
Supply exceeds demand and shippers are looking to make deals in order to get product moved.  Please run any offer you may have by us and lets see what we can get done.  Now is the time to promote as we have been offered some very aggressive prices for the remainder of the week.
Artichokes
 Seeded varieties are in full production with sizing profiles starting to peak on medium sizes although demand  has diminished  entering the Summer season making Artichokes a Great value.
Strawberries
 The central coast is finally experiencing normal temperatures in all growing areas. Very consistent temperatures have been ranging 75 to 80 degrees are expecting to continue into the weekend. The Majority of the suppliers have cleaned up the large inventories by discounting fresh prices and diverting fruit to the freezers. The Monterey Variety continues to dominate the market place with counts averaging 20 to 24 per clamshell. There has been some quality issues reported in the form of light bruising, few soft and an occasional soft shoulder.
Raspberries
A wide range in quality and pricing will continue into next week. California supplies are trending to the lighter side as volume out of Mexico is looking to increase over the next few weeks.
Blackberries
We are experiencing a split market as far as price and quality out of California. There is as much as a $8.00 spread between suppliers and we expect this to continue into next week.
Blueberries
Expect light supplies as we move to the varieties Blue Cro and Elliott. Volume over the next 2 to 3 weeks will be sporadic as we get set for the upcoming import season.
Oranges
Demand exceeds supply scenario on Valencia oranges this week.  Suppliers are receiving premium pricing due to low supply.  Heavy rains had initially resulted in lighter summers volumes, and now excessive heat is damaging some of the little fruit still available. The central valley has been receiving higher than normal temperatures this Summer.  Quality is marginal, but with limited supply, buyers are taking any they can get their hands on. Schools are starting up this month which will further diminish supply and strengthen markets. Expect markets to climb throughout the month of August.
Cantaloupes
Prodigious local production and ample California production clashed to make the market struggle all week.  Also the August swoon in demand commonly called Dog Days combined to make for a weak and dealing cantaloupe market this week.  Sizing peaked on Jbo 9s which also drove up yields.  Next week, production should continue to be ample and the slight cooling trend in the San Joaquin Valley could keep sizes running big.  Labor day demand, if there is such a thing, will not kick in until the week after next.  Demand could be helped as this week’s lower prices product is passed on to the consumer. Production has had some gaps and gluts this year so we could see an unexpected ebbing of supplies.  Market should be dull and steady most of next week with a chance for improving conditions and prices toward the end of the period.
Honeydews
Although there are few local deals on honeydews, there is still plenty of product available in the face of lackluster demand.  Sizes peaked on 5s then jbo 5s then 6s. Prices dipped a bit.  Next week production will continue to be ample with Sacramento Valley picking up.  Demand usually picks up a bit in September but that is 3 weeks away.  Dull and steady as she goes is the outlook for honeydews
Organic Items
OG Broccoli & Cauliflower
Broccoli  and Cauliflower production continues to be  steady with overall light supplies and good demand. Insect  pressure is the main culprit limiting supplies. The market has remained firm on limited supplies but should settle at sustainable levels later this month.
OG  Herbs & Bunch Greens

Most of the Herbs and Bunching Greens have experienced quality issues along with persistent insect pressure causing intermittent shortages although local Homegrown supplies have been sufficient to offset any availability issues.
OG Leaf and Iceberg Lettuce 

Supplies have improved on Leaf, Iceberg as well as Romaine from California although heat and insect pressure will continue to impact supplies.  Markets continue steady with  limited demand to due competition from homegrown supplies.
OG Root Vegetables

Carrot production continues to be strong  although wind and heat have impacted harvest and quality. Onion & Potato  demand has been good with good quality White, Yellow and Red  Onion supplies from Central California while Potato supplies are expected to remain light due to extreme heat in the Central Valley .
OG Citrus
Lemons: Demand exceeds supply on all sizes and grades of fruit; anticipated to last into early fall. Chilean  imports are helping overall availability and Mexico is trying to get started, but has been hindered and delayed by intermittent rain. Even with imports, overall supplies will remain tight.
Limes: The market is steady after rising  last couple of weeks.  Heavy precipitationhampered supplies  but should rebound with drier conditions.
OG Melons

Central Valley  Watermelons have been  hampered by heat and delays on new plantings leading to limited production from California. Hot weather continues in the forecast  and will  likely lead to continued shortages on all melons including  OG Cantaloupes and Honeydew
OG Avocados
Mexico: The Summer crop is starting slowly with volume increasing in the coming weeks. Sizes are peaking on 60s and smaller; limited availability on larger fruit.
California:  Harvest volume continues to decline with some shippers packing only a few day per week. Supplies will continue to trend downward through August and the crop finishes for the season.
OG Berries
Strawberry production from Salinas and Watsonville continues with sizing and quality still hampered by fluctuating high temperatures and overcast weather.  The market has tried to strengthen on better quality although bruising remains prevalent. Most shippers are trying to limit problems by sending their marginal fruit to the freezer / processors.

8/2/17

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Lettuce

 Warming trend this week has lettuce shippers pushing to move volume.  The Market once steady appears  headed for an oversupply situation. Possible Thunder showers and high humidity may impact quality and therefore availability by next week but there will be a surge in production the balance of this week. Quality continues to vary from excellent to  fair throughout the valley. Tip burn and mildew  are visible on many lots with the best quality having lighter weights and darker color.
Mix Leaf
Romaine market  remains steady with mild demand and  Romaine Heart production has surged causing the market to soften for most shippers. Quality has also downgraded with fringe burn, mildew and seeder pressure all increasing as well as building inventories leading to aging product. Green and Red leaf  are also showing variable quality around the valley. Local Homegrown production areas continue with some weather issues but will continue to put pressure on California market to remain steady although with many shippers in their reduced summer acreage ,spikes in demand could lead to sudden price fluctuations.
Brussels Sprouts
Production continues from California with improving quality but still showing varied sizing, discoloration and  insect pressure.  Supplies  are not expected to increase for another month.
Celery
Summer volumes are picking up on the West Coast and plenty of product is coming out of the ground.  Good production between Salinas and Santa Maria areas. With Michigan and Canada coming on strong demand is slowing nation wide. Quality is good overall however seeder is still a factor; normal for this time of year.  Lots of deals and shippers are looking to move, especially on 24 and 30 count sizes.
Bell Pepper
Green Bell production in Gilroy and Hollister has started to  peak  with  better pricing available.  Red Bells will follow in a couple weeks.
Broccoli

Broccoli demand has waned a little and shippers are looking for business, especially on crown cut.  There will be opportunity buys available going into the weekend from various shippers.  We are experiencing some warmer than usual weather which should create an increase in yields.  Run your price buy ideas by us and let’s get your orders filled for the weekend.
Cauliflower
Supplies exceed demand and shippers will be looking to make deals for the end of the week in order to clean up inventory before going into the weekend.  Get with your Produce West sales representative to find the best buy.
Artichokes
Seeded varieties are in full production with sizing profiles starting to peak on medium sizes although demand  has diminished  entering the Summer season making Artichokes a Great value.
Strawberries
 The glut of berries continues, but there could be a light at the end of the tunnel as suppliers have beensending fruit to the freezers and the juicers to help lighten cooler inventories.  Due to the crazy spring weather patterns fruit that is coming off now really should of been peaking about 5 to 6 weeks ago. Demand will still be light next week, but expect a slight up tick in pricing supplies lighten.
Oranges
Demand exceeds situation here on the West Coast. With schools starting this week we are seeing high demand in pretty much every size Valencia. We will see tight supplies throughout this month. More Chilean product would help supply, although volume remains tight there as well.  Pricing will continue to rise.  Expect pro rates on most sizes this week and next.  Quality is good as product is harvested to order, with very little storage fruit.
Cantaloupes
Cantaloupes felt as if they had found a comfortable trading level as week. Demand has been adequate to clean up inconsistent supplies.  This week sizes started peaking on jumbo 9s then 9s with other sizes coming off in much smaller percentages.  Large sizes increase yields so volume increased this week.  At the same time local areas increased their production.   Thus the market corrected on larger sizes but the correction was reasonable and piqued demand enough to stabilize prices again within $1.00 of last week’s levels. Next week temperature in the San Joaquin Valley will be a bit cooler but production should stay robust. Sizes should stay peaking on 9s and jbo 9s.  Demand does not look to change too much either.  Market should be steady with some discounting all next week.
Honeydews
Abundant supplies of mostly 5s and lackluster demand due to buyers focusing mostly on cantaloupes led to a dull market with cheap prices. Next week supplies should stay abundant, demand could pick up a bit in response to the cheap pricing.  We look for a steady market next week with improving demand toward the weekend.
Organic Items
OG Broccoli & Cauliflower
Broccoli  and Cauliflower production continues to be  steady with overall light supplies and good demand. Insect  pressure is the main culprit limiting supplies. The market has remained firm on  limited supplies but should settle at sustainable levels later this month.
OG  Herbs & Bunch Greens

Most of the Herbs and Bunching Greens have experienced quality issues along with persistent insect pressure causing intermittent shortages although local Homegrown supplies have been sufficient to offset any availability issues.
OG Leaf and Iceberg Lettuce

Supplies have improved on  Leaf, Iceberg  as  well as Romaine from California although heat and insect pressure will continue to impact supplies.  Markets continue steady with  limited demand to due competition from homegrown supplies.
 
OG Root Vegetables

Carrot production continues to be strong  although wind and heat have impacted harvest and quality. Onion & Potato  demand has been good with good quality White, Yellow and Red  Onion supplies from Central California while Potato supplies are expected to remain tight through the Summer.
OG Citrus
Lemons: Demand exceeds supply on all sizes and grades of fruit; anticipated to last into early fall. Chilean  imports are helping overall availability and Mexico is trying to get started, but has been hindered and delayed by the rain. Even with imports, overall supplies will remain tight.
Limes: The market is slightly higher this week. Heavy precipitation continues to decrease volume and increase stylar (a disease affecting the opposite end of the stem, appearing as a discolored, water-soaked spot).
OG Melons

Central Valley  Watermelons have been  hampered by heat and delays on new plantings leading to limited production from California. Hot weather in the forecast  this week will likely lead to continued shortages on  on all melons including Cantaloupes and Honeydews.
OG Avocados
Mexico: The summer crop is starting slowly with volume increasing in the coming weeks. Sizes are peaking on 60s and smaller; limited availability on larger fruit.
California: Sizes are peaking on 48s and larger; limited supply on 60s and smaller fruit. Harvest volume continues to decline with some shippers packing only a few day per week. Supplies will continue to trend downward as move into August and the crop finishes for the season.
OG Berries

Strawberry production from Salinas and Watsonville continue with sizing and quality still hampered by fluctuating high temperatures and overcast weather.  The market has tried to strengthen on better quality although bruising remains prevalent. Most shippers are trying to limit problems by sending their marginal fruit to the freezer / processors.

7/27/17

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Lettuce

Market continues steady but randomly fluctuating throughout the week.  Varying temperatures in the has led to production and quality differences among shippers with excellent  to  fair quality throughout the valley. Tip burn and mildew  are visible on many lots. with the best quality having lighter weights and darker color.
Mix Leaf
Romaine market  remains steady with mild demand although  Hearts continue to be strong with limited  homegrown pressure.  Quality is good but has lessened with the continued intermittent temperature spikes causing weaker texture and fringe burn while mildew pressure is prevalent along the coast where morning overcast conditions exist. Green and Red leaf  are also showing variable quality around the valley. Local Homegrown production areas continue with some weather issues but will continue to put pressure on California market to remain steady although with many shippers in their reduced summer acreage,spikes in demand could lead to sudden price fluctuations.
Brussels Sprouts
Production continues from California with poor quality affecting supplies. Varied sizing, discoloration and  insect pressure continue to be prevalent. Market is expected to remain strong  through the Summer.
Celery
This market is in correction mode. Michigan and Canadian growing regions are in full swing and lessening demand for west coast product.  Salinas and Santa Maria are both producing nice quality, although there have been some isolated reports of seeder in some of the warmer regions. We expect a “buyers market” for the next few weeks as local product floods markets and the summer doldrums kick in.
Bell Pepper
Green Bells are just starting to see improved production from new growers areas in Gilroy and Hollister.  Central Valley production remains limited but additional supplies  should start to help pressure markets to adjust heading into next week.
Broccoli
Supplies remain steady and harvest volume continues to keep up with demand.  Crowns continue to have better demand than bunch out of California.  Some of this demand may be coming from customers who would usually be taking Mexican broccoli but quality has been an issue out of Mexico so that is diverting buyers to come out West.
Cauliflower
Supplies exceed demand and shippers will be looking to make deals for the end of the week in order to clean up inventory before going into the weekend.  Get with your Produce West sales representative to find the best buy.
Artichokes
Seeded varieties are in full production with sizing profiles starting to peak on medium sizes although demand  has diminished  entering the Summer season making Artichokes a Great value.
Strawberries
Demand is slowly starting to turn around. The Salinas and Watsonville areas are seeing improvements in quality with fresh fruit, as we have been experiencing some consistent weather patterns. Santa Maria volumes have dropped slightly. Quality is still good as we enter the later stages of this season.
Blueberries
The weather has  been favorable in the B.C. production area with no precipitation expected for this week at all. Fields continue to be lighter this season, however quality has been exceptional and is expected to remain this way. Demand has eased over the weekend, and markets are easing as well.
Raspberries
 Supplies remain extremely light with much over the industry experiencing heavy prorates. Demand is strong and seems to be driving by promotional pricing for the Chains.  The industry will be in a light supply situation for the next couple weeks but volume is forecast to increase in the month of August.
Blackberries
Supplies have been holding steady. Weather is slightly better this week in North Carolina which resulted in better quality. Lower production is expected for the next several weeks which is normal in North Carolina before the fall crop returns with increased volume in 3-4 weeks. California production is steady and will slightly increase over the next month, but not anticipating large weekly numbers over all. Expect steady markets next week.
Oranges
Very strong demand for California Valencias and supply gaps continue just like we expected.  Now we reach the point of the summer when schools are preparing to return to session, which will stretch supplies even tighter.  Expect pricing to continue to climb higher through this month. The California season will go until mid September.  Quality has been good, with very few problems to report.
Organic Items
OG Broccoli & Cauliflower
Broccoli  and Cauliflower production continues to be  steady with overall light supplies and good demand. Insect  pressure is the main culprit limiting supplies. The market has firmed but should settle at sustainable levels.
OG  Herbs & Bunch Greens

Most of the Herbs and Bunching Greens have experienced quality issues along with persistent insect pressure causing intermittent shortages although local Homegrown supplies have been sufficient to offset any availability issues.
OG Leaf and Iceberg Lettuce
Supplies have improved on  Leaf, Iceberg  as  well as Romaine from California although heat and insect pressure will continue to impact supplies.  Markets continue steady with  limited demand to due competition from homegrown supplies.
OG Root Vegetables
Carrot production continues to be strong  although wind and heat have impacted harvest and quality. Onion & Potato  demand has been good with good quality White, Yellow and Red  Onion supplies from Central California while Potato supplies are expected to remain tight through the Summer.
OG Citrus
Lemons: Demand exceeds supply on all sizes and grades of fruit; anticipated to last into early fall. Chilean  imports are helping overall availability and Mexico is trying to get started, but has been hindered and delayed by the rain. Even with imports, overall supplies will remain tight.
Limes: The market is slightly higher this week. Heavy precipitation continues to decrease volume and increase stylar (a disease affecting the opposite end of the stem, appearing as a discolored, water-soaked spot).
OG Melons
Central Valley Watermelons have been  hampered by heat and delays on new plantings leading to limited production from California. Barring any significant hot weather next week should bring better availability on all melons including Cantaloupes and Honeydews. 
OG Avocados

Mexico: The summer crop is starting slowly with volume increasing in the coming weeks. Sizes are peaking on 60s and smaller; limited volume on larger fruit. d their field prices and reduced volume available. This new summer fruit has slower maturity level, taking longer to ripen.
California: Sizes are peaking on 48s and larger; limited supply on 60s and smaller fruit. Harvest volume continues to decline with some shippers packing only a few day per week. Supplies will continue to trend downward as move into August and the crop finishes for the season.
OG Berries
Strawberry production from Salinas and Watsonville continue with sizing and quality still hampered by fluctuating high temperatures and overcast weather.  The market has tried to strengthen on better quality although bruising remains prevalent. Most shippers are trying to limit problems by sending their marginal fruit to the freezer / processors.