Markets remain active with reduced supplies still being the dynamic propelling prices.  In addition uncertainty of quality and supply in transitional growing areas starting next week. Demand has been steady mostly driven by the foodservice sector. Quality remains fairly good especially for late season lettuce although growers are battling issues including mildew, fringe burn as well as insect and disease pressure. Transition over the next month will bring uncertainty of supply and quality. As usual, check with Produce West for updates including production from Las Cruces , New Mexico.

Romaine and Romaine Hearts  Romaine supplies continue to be moderate as well as Quality although some yield reducing issues remain including increased fringe Markets remain elevated with tiered pricing available among production areas. Quality issues are mostly being trimmed at field level with slightly more twist and over developed ribs leading to increased discoloration .

Red leaf, Green leaf and Boston  Demand on Leaf has started to improve with many east coast customers looking to supplement their current supplies as Homegrown quality begins to suffer from ongoing inclement weather on the East Coast. Expect markets to escalate from current levels.

There are still a few deals to be had but they are drying up fast. Demand is beginning to pick up and most shippers are eager to increase prices, especially after a year like this where they have sat at the bottom. Advice is to buy now as the only thing this market can do is go up.

Production of Thornless varieties continues with some shippers heavy towards larger sizes and some heavier toward medium sizes . Look for supplies to continue steady as we head into cooler Fall months before frost slows down production

We are starting to see a slight decline in the market, mainly due to more products beginning to cross out of Mexico into Texas. California supplies will remain limited as we finish out our summer season. Irregular supplies are expected out of California through November and then most will make the transition down to the desert growing regions. Mexico production is slowly trending upwards and currently they are $6.00 – $8.00 cheaper than California on the crown cut. Supplies will continue to increase through the month out of Mexico. There is also broccoli coming out of the Southeast from Virginia and Georgia.

It does not look like we will see any further increase in prices this week. We may even see a slight decline occur as movement has appeared to slow down. Again, supplies will be irregular out of California as the season begins to wind down and it won’t take much to trigger prices upward. Cooler nighttime temperatures will definitely slow growth. Stay on top of this market as it is easy to get caught off guard this time of year.

Northern California production areas are increasing supplies daily. Quality is showing signs of improving although varying as growers break new fields. Insect damage and loose elongated heads are currently common. October should bring excellent supplies and promotional opportunities barring any unforeseen insect pressure brought on by hot , dry weather.

Mexico production has been slow to fully rebound Supplies are expected to improve as well as quality later this month.

Northern California production areas are increasing supplies daily. Quality is showing signs of improving although varying as growers break new fields. Insect damage and loose elongated heads are currently common. October should bring excellent supplies and promotional opportunities barring any unforeseen insect pressure brought on by hot , dry weather.

The conventional strawberry market has a three-tiered pricing structure with a range in prices and quality depending on the growing area and whether it is new or old crop. Santa Maria, California is forecast to be sunny but breezy in the afternoon on Wednesday; Thursday and Friday will have plenty of sun and then become mostly sunny for the weekend. Highs are expected in the 60s on Wednesday, increasing to the 70s for the balance of the week, with lows in the 40s. Salinas/Watsonville, California is forecast to be mostly sunny and cool on Wednesday, becoming sunnier and warmer for the balance of the week. Highs are forecast in the 60s on Wednesday, increasing to the 70s on Thursday, and then the 80s on Friday and Saturday, decreasing to the 70s on Sunday with lows in the 40s. Oxnard, California is forecast for sunny skies with highs in the 70s and lows in the 50s. Oxnard, California new crop fruit has good color and size with occasional misshapen; the old crop fruit has bruising, dark color, soft shoulders and overripe with much smaller fruit.

Mexico is ramping up quickly, with good volume this week out of Texas or California on new crop Mexican blackberries!

Less supply again this week on raspberries as we end the summer crop and move into new crop from Mexico for the 2021-2022 season. Volumes should turn in a few weeks.

Blueberries are expected to start coming in with volume this week, but this is very much dependent on boats being unloaded. The current market is in decline based on this information, but we could see delays in loading/unloading at ports due to struggles to get fruit out of Peru and Argentina due to weather, vessel delays, and import delays due to lower staffing and COVID restrictions.

White peach #1’s are finished for the season. There is still good availability on Utility Volume Fill. Good volume on red plums through the end of the year with late season varieties. Fall plums are brixing in the high teens to 20+. These are a great opportunity to get incremental sales through the fall. Order early. Steady volume on black plums this week with good demand.

Steady markets this week as shippers anticipate good volumes for at least the next two weeks. Late season varieties are in production and will carry us through the remainder of the year. We will possible see some stronger markets in early November and December as supplies lighten up. Quality on California red and green grapes has been very nice currently, with very few issues to report overall. Run offers by us.

California valencia production is starting to wind down for the season. Pricing has been slowly increasing across the board on all sizes, especially on small sized fruit. We don’t expect any relief as the season will soon be coming to a close. Good quality reported and fruit is eating well. Small sizes will continue to be tight for the remainder of the season. More containers are slowly arriving on the west coast. Vessels are experiencing up to 2 week waits in the port to get unloaded. High markets will likely continue until they can get this worked out.

Mostly choice fruit coming out of district 2. Not much fancy fruit available. Quality is expected to improve as new production areas start up. Sizes are peaking on 165 count fruit. Some product is coming out of Mexico, but light numbers and limited sizing options. Chilean lemons are slowly arriving on the west coast but port delays remain. Offshore quality has been very strong, although extra wait times has lessoned the quality when fruit finally arrives. Delays will continue until ports can work out labor and freight issues.

Steady markets this week. Demand remains low industry wide and plenty of fruit available. Sizing is peaking on 175-200 count. Some quality issues include blanching, scarring and light color. Rain continues in production areas so expect quality issues for the coming weeks.

Westside is continuing to wind down as more growers finish there acreage. As of this writing there seem to be 2 going and one will end by mid next week and other in about 10 days. Desert deal is picking up but there are few that have a fall deal there so volume is expected to be limited and skewing quite large. Quality is okay but not mid-summer color or brix. Nogales should start in earnest mid-end of next week. Demand is lackluster, as is expected for this time of year. Prices are steady with dessert fruit trading at a couple of dollars higher than the last of the Westside fruit. Next week supplies should be steady to slightly up from this week, but seasonably cool weather in the desert area is keeping volume in check and looks to do so again next week. Sizes on desert fruit should be starting to skew smaller. Nogales, once it starts, is not a major factor as they are not nearly as desirable as domestic lopes. We look for a steady to slightly lower market next week.

Supplies have been on the light side most all year. With the Westside finishing and the desert plantings light, they don’t look to be increasing soon. Nogales has started and is trading a bit lower than domestic. Quality is fair and struggling with brix. Demand is lackluster overall as melons are not seasonal. We look for a steady to possibly slightly lower market.

Overall dry onions are in a hit and miss situation depending on where you’re loading. Prices are a little cheaper in Washington and supplies, as the final harvesting takes place, are improving on larger size onions. Treasure Valley has seen a little improvement in the overall size of their onions. Reds are still in

a “tight” situations and shippers are holding back from taking a lot of straight load business. As we roll into the full Fall demand for foodservice, increases for Conventions and reopening of restaurants has kept demand steady on a crop that’s lighter than it has been in several years.

Air service from Peru to Florida is almost nonexistent. The ships are running late but Mexico is picking up the slack and are rolling some big numbers into southern California and Texas. As the volume builds, most shippers are trying to catch some Ads to mop up the sudden gush in Asparagus volume. Stay

tuned to see prices in the teens by the weekend and into next week.

Cauliflower and Broccoli   Production has diminished with reduced yields especially on Broccoli with slightly better availability on Cauliflower . Demand has been good allowing for prices to edge higher.  Cooler nights are expected to further slow production as growers continue to battle quality .

Availability continues to be steady with good supplies although pricing has begun to escalate as demand has improved and growers prepare to introduce Holiday pricing.

Availability and pricing appear to be mostly steady as well as demand. Quality remains good from the Northern production areas with an occasional sporadic shortage among growers.

Carrot Production remains light with damage from previous heat waves impacting suppliers. Expect to see improved supplies as the weather cools heading into the Fall. . Continue to plan ahead to get coverage.

Leaf, Iceberg & Romaine   Romaine and Romaine Heart production remain moderate with improved demand .  We anticipate inclement weather on the East Coast to eventually push demand West. and accelerate pricing even further.

Green and Red leaf   Production has also slowed as growers battle insect pressure. while demand improves as many East coast customers begin to supplement their current local supplies.

Lemons, Oranges, Limes and Grapefruit   Strong demand throughout the entire Citrus category due to strong retail sales and revived foodservice activity. Mexico lemon crop is peaking on smaller , Choice fruit while awaiting California desert crop to begin. Lime quality remains inconsistent with improving supplies . Tropical Storms in Mexico have impacted supplies. California Valencia production has mostly finished with Navels expected later next month.

California :  Cantaloupe , Honeydews, Galias and mini Watermelon production has begun in the Southern California desert as well as Mexico.

Green & Red :  Supplies of Red and Green varieties are sufficient from the Central Valley of California. Prices remain mostly steady with excellent promotional opportunities.

California  :  Stone fruit season has mostly finished in the Central Valley as Pomegranate and pear production has begun strong along with Persimmons .

As we wind down the Coastal California season, Markets remain active mostly driven by reduced supply rather than demand but that is about to change. Demand is expected to ramp up as eastern production areas fade. Quality remains fairly good especially for late season lettuce although growers are battling issues including mildew, fringe burn as well as insect and disease pressure , all of which continue to reduce sizing and yields. Transition over the next month will bring uncertainty of supply and quality. As usual, check with Produce West for updates including production from Las Cruces , New Mexico.

Romaine and Romaine Hearts  Romaine supplies continue steady.  as well as Quality although some yield reducing issues remain including increased fringe Markets remain elevated with tiered pricing available among production areas. Quality issues are mostly being trimmed at field level with slightly more twist and over developed ribs .

Red leaf, Green leaf and Boston  Demand on Leaf has started to improve with many East coast customers looking to supplement their current supplies as Homegrown quality begins to suffer from ongoing inclement weather on the East Coast. Expect markets to escalate from current levels.

Look for this market to make a slight move upwards over the next 7 days. Michigan is finishing up and you combine that with shorter days and cooler temperatures in the California growing regions it is all but inevitable that we will see some type of uptick in the market.

Production of thornless varieties continues with some shippers heavy towards larger sizes and some heavier towards medium sizes . Look for supplies to improve as we head into cooler Fall months

Growers in all California regions continue to fight insect issues which are hampering yields, especially in the Santa Maria district. Markets are expected to remain for the entire month of October. Local deals out of Canada and the East Coast will start to decline as they head into the cooler fall weather, this will help keep California pricing at higher levels as well. Production out of Central Mexico continues to be affected by rain. We will start to see some increased volume out of there over the next couple of weeks but not the normal volume that should be crossing. Heavier volume wont start out of Central Mexico until November.

Lighter yields are expected over the next two weeks from most shippers. Look for prices to climb rapidly as we finish out this week. Pre books are advisable as we are going to get into a demand exceeds situation.

Northern California production areas are increasing supplies daily. Quality is showing signs of improving although varying as growers break new fields. Insect damage and loose elongated heads are currently common. October should bring excellent supplies and promotional opportunities barring any unforeseen insect pressure brought on by hot , dry weather.

Mexico production has been slow to fully rebound with the recent tropical storms being the latest setback. Supplies are expected to improve as well as quality later this month.

Berries continue in a wide range in pricing and quality due to Oxnard fruit now being added to the mix. Santa Maria, California is forecast to be cool with clouds and sun, becoming sunny on Sunday, with highs in the 60s and lows in the 50s, decreasing to the 40s Friday through the weekend. Salinas/Watsonville, California is forecast to be cool and partly cloudy, becoming mostly cloudy Friday and Saturday, and then sunny on Sunday. Highs are expected in the 60s, increasing to the 70s for the weekend, with lows in the 50s, decreasing to the 40s Friday through the weekend. Oxnard, California new crop fruit has good color and size, while the old crop fruit has bruising, dark color, soft shoulders, and is overripe with much smaller fruit.

Mexico is ramping up quickly, with good volume this week out of Texas or California on new crop Mexican blackberries!

Less supply again this week as we end the summer crop and move into Mexico new crop for the 2021-2022 season. Volumes should turn in a few weeks.

Blueberries are expected to start coming in with volume this week, but this is very much dependent on boats being unloaded. The current market is in decline based on this information, but we could see delays to loading/unloading at ports due do to struggles to get fruit out of Peru and Argentina due to weather, vessel delays, and import delays due to lower staffing and COVID restrictions.

Steady volume continues on white peaches this week. Good volume on red plums and good volume will continue until the end of the year with our late season varieties. Our Fall plums are brixing in the high teens to 20+. These are a great opportunity to get incremental sales through the fall. Steady volume on black plums this week with good demand. Order early. Yellow nectarines and peaches are mostly finished for the season.

Good volume continues this week out of the California central valley. Multiple late season varieties are starting to hit the pipeline. These varieties will carry us through the remainder of the year. Green seedless grape volumes are expected to lighten up in the coming weeks and markets will likely react. Currently there are multi-tiered pricing options to offer and shippers are looking to move product. Storage fruit quality will begin to suffer as we head into the winter months.

Oranges – California valencia production is starting to wind down and pricing continues to increase as demand remains strong and supplies diminish, particularly on 88 count and smaller fruit. Sizing is peaking on 56 count fruit and shippers are making deals. small sizes will continue to be light in supply for the near future. Chilean navel quality has been strong, although port delays is keeping fruit offshore. As more containers are unloaded markets will likely begin to settle.

Lemons – District 3 has started and quality is starting to improve. District 2 is still in production, although quality has been mostly choice. Texas has had product in light numbers. Wes expect volume to slowly improve in the coming weeks. Sizes are peaking on 165 count fruit. Offshore product has been slow to come off the boats as port delays continue to plague the industry, as well as the entire national economy.

Limes – Demand has been moderate this week. Pricing has softened as more product crosses the border into Texas. Rain is in the forecast for Mexican product and supplies and quality will likely suffer in the coming weeks. Sizing is mostly peaking on 175-200 count fruit.

The transition from the Westside to the desert has been proceeding but in bumpy, gap ridden fashion. Westside continues to wind down with more and more vendors finishing their harvest. Most will be completely done within a week. One will continue for another two weeks, however with diminishing size and volume. Quality has held up okay. At the same time the desert areas struggles and stumbles at the start of the deal. Quality is a bit inconsistent and sizes are running quite large ranging between a few jbo 6s to mostly jbo 9 then regular 9s with few if any smaller. Also there are fewer and fewer vendors and acreage down there each fall, it seems. Off shore deal is still 6 to 8 weeks away. Nogales should start in about a month. Prices have responded accordingly on the spot market, with less and less volume available, especially after fulfilling contracted orders. Spot demand has been lackluster but this has been a supply driven market. We look for prices to stay firm to higher on the Westside, with the desert prices remaining high next week, but perhaps backing off the following week.

Honeydews have been on the light supply side for the past several weeks and this has been exacerbated by the Westside winding down. There are some in the Yuba City- Yolo-Woodland area but there are only a few grown there. Nogales is starting possibly sometime next week. As has been the case all season, sizes have skewed overwhelmingly toward regular 5 and 6 count. Quality has been good. Desert supplies are stumbling out of the gate at the start and running large, peaking on 5s with decent supply of jbo 5s and fewer 6s. Prices there have been generally higher than the Westside. Next week supplies should be all but finishing in the Sacramento area and slowly picking up in the desert. Overall spot demand will continue to be lackluster at high price and freight (somewhat lower freight in the desert).  Nogales should start sometime next week keeping prices in check and possibly lowering, However, like with cantaloupes current high prices are supply driven and should start out steady and possibly drift lower as volume in the desert increases.

Washington – Certain items are very much on the move and others are

decent but not quite as crazy so it’s worth checking in since pricing is subject to change.  Yellow onions are fairly tight on most sizes, prices are up and quality is very nice. Red and White onions are also fairly tight with load volumes not available on most items until mid-week. Treasure Valley Most shippers are through harvesting and some will finish up this Weekend…if the rain doesn’t hold things up. Straight loads of Jumbos are available, but pricing keeps

driving upward and do not , at this point look like there’s any weakness. The quality is good and food service is finally getting back to higher percentages.

Red onions continue to be tight with straight loads rarely available. The over all crop, in one growers estimation, is off by 20-30% over last year, so hold on to your hats.

Air service from Peru to Florida is almost nonexistent. The shipping companies are also raising their rates with demand for boats higher. Mexico will have product in volume toward the end of the month with prices being given out for ads in the low $20’s…but smart money says it could be in the teens by 1 st of November.

Cauliflower and Broccoli   Production has diminished with reduced yields especially on Broccoli with slightly better availability on Cauliflower . Demand has been good allowing for prices to edge higher. Diminished quality from past heat related events , including increased insect pressure,  continue to hamper production.

Availability and pricing continue to be steady with abundant supplies although expect markets to firm and steeply rise next week as shippers begin to introduce Holiday pricing.

Availability and pricing appear to be mostly steady as well as demand. Quality remains good from the Northern production areas with an occasional sporadic shortage among growers.

Carrot Production remains light with damage from previous heat waves impacting suppliers. Expect to see improved supplies as the weather cools heading into the Fall. . Continue to plan ahead to get coverage.

Potato and Onions . Supplies have improved as well as quality on all Potatoes and Onions .  We should continue to see production improve heading into next month.

Leaf, Iceberg & Romaine   Romaine and Romaine Heart production remains light pushing prices higher.  We anticipate inclement weather on the East Coast to eventually push demand west. and accelerate pricing even further.

Green and Red leaf   Production has also slowed as growers battle insect pressure. while demand improves as many East coast customers begin to supplement their current local supplies.

Lemons, Oranges, Limes and Grapefruit Strong demand throughout the entire Citrus category due to strong retail sales and revived foodservice activity. Mexico lemon crop is improving although still limited on larger sizes and Fancy grade. California crop is expected to improve supplies later this month. Lime quality remains inconsistent as well as supplies. Tropical Storms in Mexico continue to impact supplies. California Valencia production has mostly finished with Navels expected later next month.

California :  Cantaloupe , Honeydews, Galias and mini Watermelon production is expected to finish up in the Central Valley. Production from Mexico is expected to be delayed heading into next month.

Green & Red :  Supplies of Red and Green varieties are sufficient from the Central Valley of California. Prices remain mostly steady with excellent promotional opportunities.

California  :  Stone fruit season has mostly finished in the Central Valley as Pomegranate and pear production is set to begin.

Rinse and repeat… Mostly Cool , temperate weather with an occasional blip of warm temperatures continue to keep supplies moderated although demand remains mild. Quality is mostly good although some growers continue to fall behind schedule while most harvest to order and  “jump” overmature fields to maintain bottom line pricing and avoid arrival issues. Some growers have suggested they’ve adjusted their planting schedules heading into the second half of the California season to reduce the amount of acres being disc.

Romaine and Romaine Hearts  Romaine supplies remain heavy with moderate Demand . Diminished labor force continues to hamper Romaine Heart production at times leaving plenty of carton supplies available. Quality remains mostly nice from all areas.

Red leaf, Green leaf and Boston  Demand on Leaf continues to be sluggish as Eastern local production begins . Quality remains nice from all production areas with increased mildew pressure expected after another cool Foggy week.

Oxnard production will be winding down over these next 2 weeks. Salinas production has started and supplies are increasing daily. Supplies will likely remain heavy for the coming weeks. Quality reports are showing good condition with occasional seeder reported.

Heirloom and Original varieties from Central Coast production areas have mostly finished with only a few of the smaller sizes as the predominantly larger sized thornless varieties increase availability.

Production remains heavy from all areas.  Prices on Crowns tried to firm late last week but mild demand kept markets deflated. Quality remains very nice as growing conditions remain ideal.

Supplies remain adequate for current market conditions.  Deals from Santa Maria remain available while some Salinas growers are trying to hold slightly higher levels. Quality from both areas has been ideal .

Production from Mexico has eased while Northern California production areas remain limited for the next few weeks. Prices have firmed but demand remains steady. Quality issues from Mexico with increasing insect pressure have also reduced availability while limited domestic production has shown improvement.

Mexico production has resumed full capacity with most product loading from the Central Coast. Quality has shown improvement as growers finally get back on schedule.

California fruit has occasional bruising, white shoulders, misshapen, seedy tips, and dry or discolored calyx and discoloration caused by wind damage. Average counts are 16 to 18, occasionally higher and lower.

Supplies are light but improved from last week, as Mexico and California harvests recover from their recent cold snaps. Quality is fair.

Supplies are good, particularly out of the Southeastern U.S and Mexico. California’s harvest has ramped up as expected. Quality is fair.

Seasonal peak production out of California, Georgia and Mexico continues. Quality and pricing are good.

Apricot Production remains steady on 80/84’s and larger this week. Better supplies expected next week on large sizes. Small sizes are limited. Yellow Peach Volume has been steady and the eating quality so far has been excellent. Yellow Nectarine volume will be steady this week with limited volume on larger fruit. Red Plums will remain light this week and orders are subject to proration. There are no large peaks in volume projected any time soon. Supplies will remain tight through June. Black Plum volume will remain light this week and orders are subject to proration. We are not projecting another big push in volume for another two weeks. Supplies will remain tight through June.

The Mexican grape season is in full swing with more varieties become readily available. Warmer weather in the forecast for the coming week will help bring on more fruit. We expect supplies to increase daily, which will help settle markets. Promotional opportunities are now available. Supplies are expected to be heavy in the coming weeks. Quality has significantly improved.

Oranges – Stronger markets this week on most sizes. Large sizes are more prevalent , and small sizes are lighter in supply. Quality is still holding strong on late season navels. Small sizes are extremely limited, with little relief in sight for the coming weeks. Valencia volumes are expected to increase, although small sizes will remain a challenge. Overall quality on navels and valencias has been positive.

Lemons – Stronger markets this week on lemons. Most sizes have cleaned up and production has been light. District 2 is producing mostly choice fruit. Fancy fruit is difficult to find. We expect production to remain limited for the remainder of the month until Chilean lemons start in the beginning of August.

Limes – Better demand this week as we head into the summer season. Large limes have been limited. Sizes are peaking on 200-230 sized fruit. Multiple quality issues have been reported, make sure to know what you are getting. Better supplies are expected to start arriving late next week which will help ease pricing.

The waiting for the wave of supplies continues, as mini surge in supply after mini surge peters out. Yield problems persist and many growers are starting to think this could be the future of the desert deal. Nogales is done. Off shore has been done and Athena Melons seem to be struggling with poor yields as well. Supplies improved a bit and market adjust somewhat but sill stayed higher than expected. Sizes are peaking on 9s then jbo 9s then 12s. Quality and sugar has been good. Demand has been fair for available fruit. So the waiting continues and the market drifts along. We see no reason for things to change much unless and until the wave of supplies comes ashore. Desert deal has about 3 weeks to go. Kern and Westside are expected to start around the fist of July, or perhaps the last week in June.

As off the offshore deal ended, the market perked up with lighter supplies. Nogales as fair supplies but should be running out soon. Domestic fruit seems to be struggling with yields on dews as they are on cantaloupes. Quality and sugar is okay in Mex and good domestically. Sizes peaking on 5s count with ample 6s count and few jbos. Demand had been just okay as it has for product all year. We look for a steady market on dews next week with deep discounting or long awaited decline when and if production normalizes.

Hami and Galia melons are primary varieties being harvested. Other varieties scattered and spare. Sizes running pretty standard. Demand has been slow and looks to continue to be with most concentrated on the larger volume items such as lopes and dews due to limited capacity and high freight costs which are forcing buyers to prioritize their buying. We see little change ahead until, perhaps until the Westside starts round 7/10.

Cauliflower and Broccoli   Cooler temperatures have kept supplies moderated matching demand on Broccoli and Cauliflower.  Quality remains good from the Central coast with mostly ideal growing conditions keeping insect pressure limited for now.

Availability and pricing appear to be mostly steady with steady demand. Quality remains good from the Northern production areas with an occasional sporadic shortage among growers.

Carrot Production has been steady and demand continues to be strong. Most growers have been reaching for supplies . Continue to plan ahead to get full coverage.

Potato and Onions . New crop Production has begun from Southern California production areas as prices have moderated.

Leaf, Iceberg & Romaine   Currently prices on Romaine and Hearts remain a value with mostly ideal weather to start the season Green and Red leaf  supplies remain affordable as well. Overall quality has been good from Northern California production areas.

Lemons, Oranges, Limes and Grapefruit Good demand throughout the entire Citrus category due to strong retail sales and revived foodservice activity. California lemon crop is tightening with limited domestic production especially on Fancy grade. Mexico is expected to resume later next month. Lime quality has shown improvement but remains inconsistent as well as supplies,  Valencia’s from Mexico have begun to expand availability. Grapefruit supplies have steadied with improved sizing.

California / Mexico :  After a delayed start to the season, High temperatures arrived in the desert impacting Cantaloupe , Honeydews, Galias and especially mini Watermelon production. Demand remains very good with elevated prices.  Supplies are likely to remain moderate with a possible gap in supplies during the transition to Northern California production areas. Additionally we anticipate issues associated with lack of water supplies from Northern California in early July .

California  :  Stone fruit season has started with improving supplies as temperatures moderate in the Central Valley . Apricot , Nectarines, Peaches and Plums are all available. Initial sizing has started on the small side but is improving daily.

Green & Red :  Supplies of BOTH Red and Green varieties have improved as the market settles. Demand remains very good with excellent quality from the desert. Reduced pricing remains available for product of Mexico .

Steady supplies with mild demand continue to result in sluggish markets. Even with a cool, mild Spring and now Summer, exorbitant freight rates, rising fuel costs, and lack of sufficient labor force continue to weigh on the entire produce industry. Quality remains overall good although tiered as some growers fall behind schedule while most continue to cut to order and  “jump” harvest to avoid over-mature lettuce while trying to maintain bottom line pricing. Mostly cool weather has kept supplies moderated with only a couple warm days so far this Spring.

Las Cruces, NM  production continues with excellent quality and substantial freight savings to begin the week.. Inquire with your Produce West representative.

Romaine and Romaine Hearts  Romaine supplies remain heavy with moderate Demand . Diminished labor force continues to hamper Romaine Heart production at times leaving plenty of carton supplies available. Quality remains mostly nice from all areas. .

Las Cruces, NM production continues from Las Cruces with good reviews. on quality and substantial savings on freight.

Red leaf, Green leaf and Boston  Demand on Leaf continues to be sluggish as Eastern local production begins . Quality remains nice from all production areas with increased mildew pressure expected after a cool Foggy week.

Pricing tried to move up a little at the beginning of the week and then halted and even a few shippers have come back down slightly. The Oxnard district is finding more seeders in their crops as the season begins to come to an end in that region. This will decrease their yields as the month winds down. Santa Maria is in full production and seeder free at this point and Salinas will start harvest the first week of June.

Heirloom and Original varieties from Central Coast production areas are now peaking on medium sizes.. Markets have eased slightly with availability expected for a couple more weeks in the season. Take advantage of these superior edible varieties before the season ends. Thornless varieties remain available with mostly larger sizes.

Make your offers, plenty of availability and shippers are looking to move product. Good availability in Santa Maria and Salinas. It seems there is a little more availability out of Mexico. Off and on rains have hampered harvest slightly in Mexico but the markets are still at or near the bottom.

Plenty of cauliflower available. Make offers as shippers are looking to move product.

Production from Mexico has started to ease while Northern California production areas remain limited for the next month. Prices have firmed but demand remains steady. Quality has been mostly very nice from Mexico with minor insect pressure while limited domestic production has shown improvement.

Mexico production has resumed full capacity with most product loading Now from the Central Coast.  Quality has shown improvement as growers finally get back on schedule.

Time to write your promotional Ads for June. There is a lull in demand before the Memorial holiday.  Santa Maria and Salinas/Watsonville, California growing areas have product available. Most Oxnard shippers are finished for the season or going to the freezer with their product. Santa Maria, California is forecast for sunny skies and breezy in the afternoon, becoming partly cloudy Friday through the weekend. Highs are forecast in the 60s and lows in the 40s. Salinas/Watsonville, California is forecast to be partly sunny, with highs in the 60s and lows in the 40s. Santa Maria, California fruit has occasional bruising, white shoulders, misshapen, seedy tips, and dry or discolored calyx and discoloration caused by wind damage. Average counts are 14 to 16, occasionally higher and lower.

Continued supply/production issues out of Mexico and demand will continue to exceed supply through May.

Supplies/production continue to decline as we near the end of the general Mexico season in early June. Demand was a bit lighter last week and will continue into this week.

Georgia fruit is coming in strong, while market price is declining! Volume hitting! PEAK VOLUMES- PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES!

California stone fruit production will steadily increase this week as the valley harvest numbers grow. Even with production increasing there’s heavy demand and orders could still be allocated. Apricot production has improved this week with a good range of sizes. Yellow peach production is picking up in the central valley. Sizing is currently peaking on a 56. 64’s and smaller are now available in volume fill. Yellow Nectarine production will remain steady but light for the next two weeks. Peak sizing will be in the 72’s and 64’s. Larger fruit will be limited. Red and black plums will start towards the end of next week.

Imported Chilean and Peruvian red grapes are winding down quickly. Greens are currently in a gap and we are now in a demand exceeds supply scenario with reds. Mexico and Coachella are off to a slow start and we will be ‘demand exceeds’ for at least another 2 weeks. By the first week of June we should see better supplies on domestic fruit, which will likely help to ease demand. Early quality reports on the Coachella fruit is positive and good quality red and greens are expected for the first half of the summer season.

Oranges – Stronger markets this week as inventory diminishes. Valencia oranges have started, although supplies are still light. Sizes are peaking on 56 and 72 count fruit. Light supplies will likely continue into the coming weeks. Navels are still the best option as quality has been holding up well. Sizing is mostly large on navels and small sizes are less available.

Lemons – Stronger markets this week on lemons. Steady supplies continue out of districts 1 and 2, mostly fancy fruit. As temperatures rise we are seeing more quality issues. Markets will continue to strengthen as southern growing regions finish for the season.

Limes – Tight supplies this week on most sizes, especially large limes. Rain in Mexican growing areas, mixed with an uptick in demand has caused markets to hold at currently levels. Some quality defects include blanching and scarring.

As offshores come to an end, domestics are kicking in albeit at a much slower pace. Supplies therefore should be diminishing overall but slowly and incrementally increasing in the CA AZ desert. Mexico continues to ship. Overall quality is okay, but the offshore are getting a bit tired and Mexico always seems to carry the legacy stigma of the decades old bacterial outbreak. Domestic supplies are running mostly reg 9 and 12 count with few jbo 9s which are already contractually committed, and few 15s which are being heavily discounted. The bulk of the demand has been mostly contracted at lower than spot market prices. Truck and truck rates have become tight and prohibitive effecting demand. Next week domestic production should pick up with more shippers starting their harvest. The volume will be too late for Memorial day ads. By the first week in June full domestic production will be in force and prices should plunge, especially if trucks remain at tight and high priced as they currently are.

Little has changed here but that could be different in the weeks ahead. Offshore are all but over. Mexico continues to ship at lower prices. Domestics should start to kick in but like the cantaloupes in a very small way at first followed by incremental volume increases on a schedule about a week being cantaloupes. Current supplies are mostly pre committed but not to the degree as cantaloupes. Overall quality is okay. Brix are variable. Sizes peaking on 5s and 6s. with few larger and 8s being heavily discounted. We see a steady market next week, followed by a gradual decline the following week and perhaps a precipitous decline by the second week in June.

With the exception of Galias, nothing is expected before mid-June at the earliest.

If I only had a truck!!! This is the time when Onion shippers have to subsidize transportation. The delivered market in Chicago is $12…$6 for the shipper and $6 for the truck. Soon, if trucks don’t start to show up and become more plentiful, it will be $5 for the shipper and $7 for the tuck. The jobbing market

doesn’t seem to be changing until food service gets on its feet. The next big problem is labor. There have been a lot of drivers that went bankrupt during Covid and are now driving for Walmart or Amazon from DC to DC. Until it become very enticing to get these guys back on the long-haul configuration we will be paying more for this vital commodity.

Washington, New Jersey, Canada, Indiana, and of course Michigan to name the states that are production. Of course, we have Mexico and Peru going too. What can possibly go wrong in this scenario? At least these growing are requiring less freight to get to the consumers. Prices, of course are all over the board, so there will need to be some feature ad pricing to move this kind of volume.

Cauliflower and Broccoli   Cooler temperatures have kept supplies moderated matching demand on Broccoli and Cauliflower.  Quality has been good to start the Central coast season with mostly ideal growing conditions.

Availability and pricing appear to be mostly steady with steady demand. Quality remains good from the Northern production areas with an occasional sporadic shortage among growers.

Carrot Production has been steady and demand continues to be strong. Most growers have been reaching for supplies . Continue to plan ahead to get full coverage.

Potato and Onions . New crop Production has begun from Southern California production areas with prices expected to moderate over the coming weeks

Leaf, Iceberg & Romaine   Currently prices on Romaine and Hearts remain a value with mostly ideal weather to start the season Green and Red leaf  supplies remain affordable as well. Overall quality has been good from Northern California production areas.

Lemons, Oranges, Limes and Grapefruit Good demand throughout the entire Citrus category due to strong retail sales and revived foodservice activity. California lemon crop is tightening with limited domestic production. Mexico is expected to resume later this month.  Lime quality has shown improvement but remains inconsistent as well as supplies, The Navel crop is winding down as Valencia’s from Mexico begin to expand availability. Seasonal Variety offerings are winding down. Grapefruit supplies have steadied with improved sizing.

California / Mexico : .  Organic Watermelon , Mini’s , Cantaloupe , Honeydews and Galias are winding down in Mexico and remain slightly behind schedule in the Desert but volume will ramp up quickly in time for Memorial Day. Quality is expected to be excellent through the Summer

California  :  Stone fruit season has started with improving supplies with relatively cooler than normal temperatures delaying the start. Apricot , Nectarines and Peaches are all available with Plums expected in coming weeks. Initial sizing has started on the small side but should improve as the weather warms.

Green & Red :  Supplies currently remain mostly from storage Imports through mid May with varied Quality. We expect Domestic season to start slightly late but supplies are expected to improve quickly with excellent quality forecasted to promote all Summer.

Dog Days of Summer are upon us….Or at least it seems that way. The produce industry is sluggish across the board with no exception to iceberg. Extravagant freight rates, rising fuel costs, lack of sufficient labor force across ALL sectors, pending transition to Fruit season and an overall lack of demand are all contributing factors. Quality remains overall good although tiered as some growers fall behind schedule while most continue to cut to order and  “jump” harvest to avoid overmatured lettuce while trying to maintain bottom line pricing. Mostly cool weather has kept supplies moderated with only a couple overall warm days so far this Spring.

Las Cruces, NM  production continues with excellent quality and substantial freight savings to begin the week.. Inquire with your Produce West representative.

Romaine and Romaine Hearts  Romaine supplies remain heavy with moderate Demand on cartons but slightly better on Hearts. Diminished labor force continues to hamper Romaine Heart production at times leaving plenty of carton supplies available. Quality remains mostly nice from all areas.

Las Cruces, NM production continues from Las Cruces with good reviews. on quality and substantial savings on freight.

Red leaf, Green leaf and Boston  Demand on Leaf has followed Romaine. Quality remains nice from Northern production areas but demand lags behind.

We could see a slight price increase over the next week. The Oxnard district is finding more seeders in their crops as the season begins to come to an end in that region. This will decrease their yields as the month winds down. Santa Maria is in full production and seeder free at this point and Salinas will start harvest the first week of June.

Thornless varieties from Central Coast production areas have peaked on larger sizes and are now peaking on medium sizes especially Heirloom and Original varieties. Markets have eased slightly with availability is expected for a couple more weeks. Take advantage of these superior edible varieties before the season ends.

Prices have come down over the last seven days and shippers are looking to move some product, especially crown cuts. Good availability in Santa Maria and Oxnard. Product of Mexico has been somewhat limited which is normal for this time of year. Limited acreage is planted in the Northern part of Guanajuato to protect themselves from the summer rains. Light production is forecasted for the next few weeks

Plenty of cauliflower available. Make offers as shippers are looking to move product.

Production from Mexico has peaked while demand has remained steady. Quality has been mostly very nice from Mexico with minor insect pressure while limited domestic production has shown improvement.

Mexico production has resumed full capacity with most product loading now from the Central Coast. Quality has shown improvement as growers finally get back on schedule.

As Mothers day passed, and demand declined, we have seen decent supplies coming to the marketplace. Quality has been good and we have seen a wide range in prices. The weather forecast for next week will be sunny and warm. The ideal conditions will push prices to lower levels.

Supplies remain tight and are expected to remain snug throughout May. Baja and California are forecast better numbers the first week of June.

Quality has been fair to good as all areas are increasing production. Central Mexico, Baja, and central California have all experienced a rise in volume.

Numbers out of California are increasing and are expected to move up over the next few weeks.

Chilean peach and nectarine finished for the season, limited availability on Chilean plums, mostly 2LTP. Quality is declining on imports. California tree fruit has started with limited availability, sizes mostly 64 and smaller. Production is slowly increasing on California peaches and nectarines. Get orders in early on domestic fruit as demand exceeds supply. California cherries have started volume will improve next week. Varieties are Tioga Royal and Brooks, mostly 11R and 12R available.

Green Seedless are very limited in supply, with most shippers quoting sold out. Red Seedless market is firming up quite a bit and will continue to do so for the duration of the season. There is a wide range of pricing as a result of varying quality industry wide. Mexico has seen some delays in production as they battle poor weather and quality. Tight markets will continue through next week.

Oranges – Navel supplies are tightening up, particularly on small sizes and prices are increasing. Valencias will soon be starting, which will take some of the pressure of the dwindling navel supplies. Demand has been slowly increasing and should continue to be strong as we head into summer and restaurants and institutions return to normal capacity. Quality has been very nice overall.

Lemons – Good supplies of fancy lemons this week. Like navels, the majority of the product is coming in fancy and quality will likely continue to be strong for the coming weeks. Demand is picking up and markets have strengthened.

Transition is the word for cantaloupes. Offshore is still shipping and will possibly dribble out a few more next week. Mexico will still be shipping some as well. But domestics have started in a small way from Yuma and Brawley and should pick up more volume as more shippers get started next week. This should force imports to stop. Sizes look to start with mostly 9s and 12s but quickly switch to more jumbo 9s as the week progresses. By the week of the 25 the domestic desert deal should be in full swing or close to it. Demand has been lackluster for all produce as the industry as a whole struggles with expensive and tight trucks, which does not look to be letting up soon. Drivers have been hard to find and competing fruits have started shipping from the West Coast, thinning supply. We look for prices to start in the low to mid-teens next week and possibly drop as volume picks up.

Offshores are coming to an end and have been in very light supplies for a couple of weeks. Sizes are peaking on jbo 5s, 5 and 6s , but are trickling down and should be ending next week. Mexico has more than made up for light offshores with copious amounts of regular 5s. 6s and 8s but few if any jbo 5s. Prices have reflected the supply difference with offshore holding up in the low teens but Mexico easing the $5.00- $7.00 range and lower on 8s. Domestic dews will start in a small way next week and pick up steam the following week following the cantaloupe narrative but a week later. Steady pricing most of next week with few off shores, pentyl of Mexican supplies and domestics just scratching the surface at higher prices.

As the world of food service starts to open, demand is starting to improve. The Northwest is slowly closing down for the season. There are still plenty of shipments, but in the next two week it will dwindle down to nothing and most receivers will have to come to areas that have new crops. I foresee an up

market when that finally hits the mainstream supply and demand picture. By the 4th of July, in most metro areas, all the foodservice should be open and firing on all cylinders and with that we’ll see demand pop…but right now it’s not happening.

We will have California asparagus for the next two weeks. Mexico is shipping

but is all 11/1’s and Michigan is stutter starting due to cold weather.

Washington is going but with limited volume. There will be a lot of local deals

that are going with not enough supply to handle the chain business. When the

foodservice gets going the demand will increase and by then we’ll have Peru

and deep Mexico. Prices on Mexican are in the $16-18 range and demand is a

little wobbly.

Cauliflower and Broccoli   Cooler temperatures have kept supplies moderated matching demand on Broccoli while Cauliflower supplies are starting to improve as prices are expected to adjust,  Quality has been good to start the Central coast season with mostly ideal growing conditions.

Availability and pricing appear to be mostly steady with steady demand. Quality remains good from the Northern production areas with an occasional sporadic shortage among growers.

Carrot Production has been steady and demand continues to be strong. Most growers have been reaching for supplies . Continue to plan ahead to get full coverage.

Potato and Onions . New crop Production has begun from Southern California production areas with prices expected to moderate over the coming weeks

Leaf, Iceberg & Romaine   Currently prices on Romaine and Hearts remain a value with mostly ideal weather to start the season green and red leaf  supplies remain affordable as well. Overall quality has been good from Northern California production areas.

Lemons, Oranges, Limes and Grapefruit Good demand throughout the entire Citrus category due to strong retail sales and revived foodservice activity. California lemon crop is tightening with limited domestic production. Mexico is expected to resume later this month.  Lime quality has shown improvement but remains inconsistent as well as supplies, The Navel crop is winding down as Valencia’s from Mexico begin to expand availability. Seasonal Variety offerings are winding down. Grapefruit supplies have steadied with improved sizing.

California / Mexico : Organic Watermelon , Mini’s , Cantaloupe , Honeydews and Galias remain slightly behind schedule but are expected to start in coming days in the Desert with limited volume but should ramp up in coming weeks.

Green & Red :  Supplies currently remain mostly from storage Imports through mid May with varied Quality. We expect Domestic season to start slightly late but supplies are expected to improve quickly with excellent quality forecasted to promote all Summer.

Green & Red :  Supplies currently remain mostly from storage Imports through mid May with varied Quality. We expect Domestic season to start slightly late but supplies are expected to improve quickly with excellent quality forecasted to promote all Summer.