Although there were a few tense moments most orders got out to meet their Holiday demand, with the exception of Strawberries.  Now that the Thanksgiving push has slowed we concentrate on  post Holiday business while  dealing with the  ongoing transition to the Southern growing regions. There will continue to be  product scattered between all districts but by the end of the week most items will come into focus although Cauliflower and Celery won’t fully transition until the following week.  Late Summer monsoon storms damaged a few early plantings in the desert but weather has since been ideal and will continue to be so through mid December. Once past the initial few fields most veg items should have  a good run of quality.  Although prices on  most veg items are currently inflated for the Holiday , ad promotions should be widely available over the next couple weeks before the Christmas / New Years Holiday pulls begin.

Weather in  California/Arizona growing districts are predicted to be at or above normal (Currently: 67/45 Coast ,  74/50 Desert) through mid December with the only chance of rain possibly next weekend along the coast.

Last week rates surged with the increase in Holiday demand although, other than a few isolated occasions, availability never became an issue. Look for rates to drop this week as business slows.  As always  advance notice will give you the advantage of best rates and service.

LETTUCE- Transition will be completed this week.  Yuma quality is improving daily and yields are likely to increase available supplies. There is  currently a wide range in weights depending on the stage of transition by the shipper. 

BROCCOLI- Supplies of broccoli continue to be steady with crowns slightly tighter than bunch.  Broccoli continues to be grown in multiple districts (Salinas, Santa Maria, Central Valley ,Yuma and Mexico) . Although Yuma tends  to be  the most convenient and centralized  loading location most value comes from the other growing regions mainly because of the lack of additional items available.  Discounts for volume orders are a regular occurrence. Inquire daily.  

CAULIFLOWER-   Unlike broccoli, production of Cauliflower is more concentrated during the month of November. Salinas and Santa Maria are the primary growing regions and  production has been  ahead of budget but with cooler temps and strong Holiday demand supplies are limited. Supplies will remain limited but look to strengthen next week as growing conditions improve in the desert.

LEAF ITEMS- Romaine quality has been marginal  finishing up the Northern district  and no other commodity will benefit more from the transition South .  Other than the first few fields quality will be vastly improved in the desert. Like the Iceberg Lettuce there should be a strong surge in quality and supply over the next few weeks.  There should also be a strong supply of Hearts for promotions.  Demand on green and red leaf will follow closely behind. 

CELERY-  Benefiting from a strong Holiday push the market has surged on all sizes.  With demand likely to fall off this week the market will likely ease although similar to Broccoli there is less celery grown in Yuma and the best deals will come from the other growing districts such as Salinas and Oxnard. Most shippers transfer  celery to Yuma for mixer business.

ASPARAGUS– Imports from Peru have increased during the Holiday period and supplies from Mexico have been steady with good demand.

GREEN ONION- Production is steady  and demand has increased. Since most Green Onions are grown in Mexico it will be  an easy transition to the  desert. Some logistical issues (Mexican Holiday)  have kept supplies limited but look for slightly better availability by the end of the week.  Pricing on medium and large sizes are slightly higher than small.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS- Good supplies and stronger demand have prices climbing. Most volume has been contracted out for the Thanksgiving Holiday.  Supplies look to continue to be strong even after the Holiday.  Take advantage of promotional pricing before and during the Christmas Holiday.

STRAWBERRIES-  Oxnard is the primary shipping region for eastern quality fruit although warm temperatures early last week softened the fruit then cold weather slowed it down now light rain over the weekend will further push any chance of shippable quality until next week .  Combined with some Holiday promotions , Strawberries have become exceptionally tight to non existent for traveling out of state. Continue to expect bruising issues on arrival. Mexico availability will  start to increase quality offerings but expect the market for top end quality  to be strong through the Holiday’s.  Supplies of Raspberries  is better with improving quality.  Blackberries primarily from Mexico have increased and continue offer a good value. Production from Florida has begun in a light way but may not offer any relief until December.

CITRUS- California Navel shipments have begun . Quality is excellent with high flavor profile and improving color. Both will continue to improve throughout the season.  The crop is projected to be extensive and promotional supplies available.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM PRODUCE WEST !

Weather forecast for the California Coast (norms:65/44-48) next few days calls showers Friday followed by clearing and cold before FINALLY rebounding to above normal temperatures most of next week but with possible showers again next weekend. The Desert and Central Mexico  (norms:80/47) may also see a thunderstorm roll through the area Friday with cold temperatures but quickly turning hot next week. Central Florida forecast temperatures are expected to continue slightly above normal the next couple weeks. (norm:77/56lo) .

BROCCOLI- Quality along the coast is improving  while quality in the desert and Mexico continues to be good. Warmer weather and additional production from California Central Valley and now the Salinas Valley will continue to increase supplies next wee

 . Continuing to monitor quality will be important depending on loading location.

ASPARAGUS- After having production delayed by weeks Mexico is finally starting to have improved supplies. The market  adjusted earlier in the week but as the start of the Easter pull begins next week most shippers are already firming prices to meet their ad prices. Most shippers have stopped giving promotional pricing until after the Easter Holiday. An early Easter Holiday has benefited both suppliers and retailers.

GRAPES-   Shipments are increasing again this week from Chile with better sizing expected especially the Reds although there continues to be a wide range in quality and sizing with discounts available on off quality packs. Green varietals should continue to see increases in supplies and the market adjust but Reds should remain steady or even strengthen.

CARROTS-  Carrot production has been steady but demand has been strong.  The market is steady locally with bulk supplies from Mexico  continuing to keep pressure on the market.

ARTICHOKES- Currently most artichokes are “frosted”  and shippers  are offering discounts to keep them moving.  Supplies will start to increase by next week but most will still be frosted which will limit movement for the normally heavily promoted Easter holiday. There will likely be significant promotional opportunities after Easter once they clean up and volume peaks in early April especially on the superior Green Globe variety.

nettspill

With the Thanksgiving Holiday and transition to the Desert production areas upon us the markets should start to settle down after a historic run over the past couple months.  Production in most areas could resume “normal” volume barring any extreme weather conditions in the concentrated Winter growing areas in Desert Southwest andMexico.

Weather for most of the West Coast appears to be near normal after unexpected heavy rain showers in the Desert this past week. The long term forecast calls for possible showers this weekend and below normal temperatures with threat of showers and possible frost for next week but nothing extreme currently forecast. Normal temperatures for the Coastal areas 66-68 hi : 42 low    Central Valley 62:41  Desert/Mexico 75:40.

Transportation rates continue to be relatively steady but elevated above last year at this time.  Transition to the Desert Southwest will help reduce miles but may increase load complexity. Teams remain in high demand with increased regulations. Plan ahead for best values and service.

 Lettuce – Production has fully shifted to theYumaValley. The market continues to be soft with light demand other than the rain delay late last week. Delays continue with wet fields but should improve daily. Quality has been good but wet lettuce will result in discoloration especially if shippers don’t bypass some over mature fields created by the rain delays.

Leaf Lettuce – Romaine production continues to be steady with supplies still available in Santa Maria and the desert. Quality is mostly good with some shippers showing slight to moderate fringe and tipburn along with seeders. Green and Red leaf supplies have increased but with a wide range in quality as well.
Asparagus- Production from Coastal Mexico andPeru has been begun to increase slightly and should be sufficient forHoliday promotions although sizing is heaviest to Standards.

 Carrots- Demand from the East has picked up significantly leading to periodic shortages but overall supplies are good although sizing is slightly off. Quality has been excellent

Broccoli-   Broccoli production after a prolonged period has finally begun to increase from all areas (Salinas, Santa Maria, Central Valley, Yuma and Mexico).  This has lead to the market dropping significantly.  Shippers are offering deals on load volume and are once again interested in offering ad pricing. Best deals will come from the Coast and Central valley as truck traffic will be predominantly in the desert.  Production may again slow if the weather forecast for colder temps holds.  Quality is much better and should continue to improve daily.

Cauliflower- Similar to broccoli production has jumped significantly with few promos in place the market looks to bottom out this week but may rebound late next week with cooler temps slowing production.  Quality has improved but still some issues with discoloration and bruising.

Celery- Production continues mainly from Salinas, Santa Maria and Oxnard.  Quality has been good and the market has been steady for the past week with occasional deals available varying from shipper to shipper.  Celery was one of the few items shippers gave promotional prices and demand has been good. Now that the ads are finishing up look for the market to ease especially in Salinas and Oxnard.  Pricing in Yuma will continue to be elevated as most celery is transferred for mixer business.

Bell Peppers- Moderate production currently from the Deserts andMexico. The market has been active through theHoliday especially the Reds and Yellows.  Sizing has been off and between the significant rain and possible cooler temps forecast the market could continue to be strong.

Berries- A few showers last week put an end to theSalinas /Watsonville production.Oxnard and the limited volume fromMcAllen are the preferred loading locations. The market has been active for good fruit that can travel but all fruit will have a degree of bruising and water damage along with a range of coloring. Look for the market to continue to be active untilFlorida andMexico can increase production within a couple weeks. Lighter supplies on Blackberries and Raspberries will continue with increased pricing.

Citrus – Oranges California Navel shipments have been good with very good sizing and flavor profiles. Lemon production fromMexico continues to suffer from previous weather related issues but is picking up in the Desert and Coastal California.

Happy Thanksgiving

_________________

Tim  Tomasello

With the early Thanksgiving now comes the extended Christmas Holiday Season .  Most everyone has started their Holiday season with Black Friday , Small Business Saturday or Cyber Monday.  Usually people eat out more often leading up to the Holidays meaning Foodservice should see a spike in sales the next couple weeks  even retailers have been offering  on the go , ready to eat meals .  Now that we are on the last leg of transition down to the southern  growing regions  quality is improving daily which should help drive sales. The weather will be ideal  which should bring about good supplies of most veg items.   Now is the time to  promote all veg  and most fruit items (except strawberries). Make sure to take time in between the Holiday rush  to enjoy a good meal with family and friends.

Weather forecast for the California Coast (norms:66/44-48) calls normal thru most of next week but with possible rain late next week  leading to below normal temps the following week. The Desert and Central Mexico  (norms:84/50) may also see a thunderstorm roll through the area the next weekend but otherwisenormal temperatures through next week with moderate temps to remain through mid April.  Central Valley California (norm:70/42) has forecast similar to the rest of the state with  average temperatures other than possible weekendthunderstorms predicted for next weekend followed by cooler temperatures the following week.

BROCCOLI- Quality along the coast has surpassed quality in the desert. Shippers  will be finishing production in the desert next week but Salinas should pick up the slack. Look for the crown market totemporarily firm next week until full transition back to Salinas. Santa Maria will continue to have good quality and supplies throughout the week. 

ASPARAGUS- Production from Mexico has peaked with additional supplies available from imports.  Salinas has also started with some production leading to a good supply of aspargus. Most shippers  firmed prices to meet their Easter Holiday ad prices but some shippers are offering deals to keep movement steady especially as the Mexican deal winds down. Look for prices to firm back up in a couple weeks. 

GRAPES-   Shipments are increasing again this week from Chile with better sizing expected especially the Reds although there continues to be a wide range in quality and sizing with  significant discounts available on off quality packs. Green varietals  continue to see increases in supplies and the market adjust but Reds should remain steady or even strengthen for the best quality.

CARROTS-  Carrot production has been steady but with strongHoliday demand.  The market is steady but bulk supplies from Mexico continue to keep pressure on the market.

ARTICHOKES- Artichokes production has started it’s seasonal peak especially the preferred Green Globe variety in Castroville/ Salinas. There also continues to be other globe varieties available and withmost “frosted” issues having past all shippers have been offering promotional pricing. Most production missed the Easter promo slot but now is the time to promote.  Sizing will peak on large sizes the next couple weeks and will transition to the medium 24-30 count by mid April with small sizes predominant by the end of the month. 

An overabundant supply is the general theme to most vegetable items in the concentrated winter growing areas in Desert Southwest andMexico. Many items are 1-2 weeks ahead of budgeted harvest schedule but changes in the weather forecast may slow production and may impact supplies in coming weeks.  Unfortunately the perishable nature of produce won’t allow for stockpiling supplies but aggressive purchasing and planning will be needed to insure fillingHoliday orders.

Weather for most of the West Coast has been mild but forecast calls for a major change in temperatures…..

Weather forecast DESERTS of SE CA amp; ARIZONA for Mon Dec 2nd thru Mon Dec 16th, 2013

Temps above seasonal averages today (Mon 71 to 78 degs), cooling up to 20 degs mid to late week as the anticipated unseasonably cold trof of Arctic origin envelopes much of theWestern US.  Wind gusts increase late tonight/early Tue up to 45 mphSECAand 30 mph elsewhere.  Winds increase Tue afternoon gusting to 60 mph SE CA and 50 mph western AZ.  Chance for isolated showers late TueSE CA.  Much cooler temps Wed, 56 to 65 degs cooling further Thu, 52 to 59 degs.  Light lettuce ice Wed easternYumavalleys, becoming widespread moderate to severe Thu.  Moderate-heavy to severe lettuce ice Fri as lows cool a few more degs, while max temps stay relatively the same.

OUTLOOK: Expect widespread lettuce ice from Sat Dec 7 thru Tue Dec 10 as a series of cold trofs from the Arctic pass thru the deserts, reinforcing the unseasonably cool temps.  Little change in max temps Sat – Sun Dec 7^th - 8^th as another trof passes.  Temps remain unseasonably cool Mon – Wed Dec 9^th - 11^th despite warming to the mid to upper 60’s while lows stay cold upper 20’s – upper 30’s.  High pressure builds from Thu – Sun Dec 12^th - 15^th warming max temps well into the 70’s and lows upper 30’s to mid-40s. Normal temperatures for the Coastal areas 63 hi : 42 low    Central Valley 60:40  Desert/Mexico 71:40.

Transportation rates continue to be relatively steady. There are some signs rates will ease this week but withHoliday demand and regulations scheduled to be enforced Jan 1 truck rates look to stay above previous years. Teams continue to remain in high demand with the increased regulations.  Plan ahead for best value and service.

 Lettuce –  Heavy production and postHoliday demand has kept the market flat. Limited labor seems to be the only thing keeping the market from completely bottoming out.  Look for tightening supplies with cooler temps forecast.

Leaf Lettuce – Romaine production continues to be steady with the best quality available in the desert.   Green and Red leaf supplies are also steady but with a wider range in quality.

Asparagus- Production from Coastal Mexico andPeru continues to be moderate. Increased production was predicted but with the change in the weather forecast look for continued light supplies.

 Carrots- Sizing has improved but good demand has kept the market active.  Cooler temps will likely result in smaller sizing moving forward.

Broccoli-   Broccoli production has peaked with most fields 2 weeks ahead of budget.  Great values on bunch and crowns can be found with even the top labels but with the change in the weather forecast broccoli will be one of the first items to be affected. Fortunately broccoli is grown in many areas (Salinas, Santa Maria, Central Valley, Yuma and Mexico) which will help reduce the affect of the weather.  Quality is much better and should continue to improve daily.

Cauliflower- Similar to broccoli, production has jumped significantly. The market looks to bottom out this week with cooler temps slowing production. With fewer growing areas Cauliflower will be much more significantly affected by change in the weather.  Quality has improved but still some issues with discoloration and bruising.

Celery- Production continues mainly from Santa Maria and Oxnard.  Quality has been good. The market is slightly easier with a few more shippers willing to deal from inventoried supplies. Pricing in Yuma will continue to be elevated as most celery is transferred for mixer business.  Cooler weather will also impact supplies.

Bell Peppers- Production from the Deserts andMexico have been steadily increasing but with good demand to match especially the Reds and Yellows. Quality has generally been very nice but could be impacted by possible freezing temps scheduled for next week.

Berries- Supplies fromOxnard have peaked and with possible rain and cooler temps forecast for later this week supplies will further tighten out West.Florida and volume fromMcAllen have been limited but should start to increase weekly.  The market has been active for good fruit that can travel but all fruit will have a degree of bruising and water damage along with a range of coloring. Look for the market to continue to be active untilFlorida andMexico can replace production  from the West. Lighter supplies on Blackberries and Raspberries will continue with increased pricing.

Citrus – Oranges California Navel shipments have been good with very good sizing and flavor profiles. Lemon production appears to be increasing as Coachella and Coastal valley volume and quality are improving daily.

Much like the  baseball trade deadline ,  there’s  a lot of talk and rumors  about local  production not holding up and possible higher markets  but we’ve only seen a few spikes in West Coast  Fruit and  Vegetable demand .  We’re expecting this trend to continue throughout the summer.  Long range weather continues to show little change on the West Coast with continued below normal pattern for the coastal regions and slightly above normal temperatures for the inland valley’s  and deserts.  The rest of the country appears to be near only slightly above normal. Trucks continue to be tight for most areas on the country, especially to the east coast mainly from the lack of backhauls although rates have eased slightly for mid week advanced notice.

 

LETTUCE- Production continues to be steady with good demand. Local production continues to be limited.  Quality is good in Salinas with occasional mildew and fringe burn.   Weights have been mostly in the mid 40′s.  Market appears to be stable with potential upside due to lack of local product.

 

BROCCOLI–Quality continues to be good to excellent few large stalk, hollow stem.   Market has held steady at modest levels with production coming out of Salinas and Santa Maria. The market appears to be steady for the next 7-10 days with slight upside.

 

CAULIFLOWER– Lighter supplies resulting from the continued below normal weather pattern has firmed up the market. Quality continues to be good with occasional black spotting reported. Market could remain fairly active until the weather pattern returns to normal.

 

LEAF ITEMS–    Production continues to be moderate and demand has been good. Romaine Hearts continue to be strong everywhere.  Market will continue to see surges of demand even with East Coast quality improved but still fair.  

CELERY– Production has leveled and the market seems to have settled but like the leaf market, demand from the  East will dictate market movement .  Quality on California celery continues to be good with few quality issues to report.

 

STRAWBERRIES–   Summer production has peaked in the Salinas/Watsonville area.   Quality ranges from fair to good with most fruit showing some signs of bruising  and fair quality showing occasional decay at shipping point.  Even with the best, expect some bruising on arrival.  Demand has been good with heavy promotions but with lesser quality prevalent look for fewer ads and a wider range market depending on quality.   Raspberry amp; Blackberry production also peaked from Salinas/ Santa Maria, with a wide range in quality. Most production being shipped to nearby markets. Quality won’t likely improve until the Fall crop starts in 3-4 weeks.

ASPARAGUS – Limited imports from Mexico amp; Peru have kept supplies  tight and the demand  limited  but strong. 

ARTICHOKES- Lighter Summer supplies have led to a boost in the market on all sizes.  Quality has been excellent.  The next spike in production will come next month.

WESTSIDE MELONS-Cantaloupe production continues to peak from the Westside  with Honeydews just starting to increase volume.  Both peaking on the larger sizes and most shippers  eager to promote. 

This time of year is all about the weather .  Most growers  over budget their production in case of disruptive weather. This year is no exception although there are a few growers reporting a slight cutback in acres due to poor returns last Winter. The overproduction combined with normal weather usually produces bumper crops which is the situation currently in the desert. Not til late December is the weather expected to drop below normal. As a result expect plenty of produce for the Christmas Holiday. Although nothing in the forecast but if cold weather does come it may affect availability for New Years promotions but we’ll update that in the coming weeks. In the meantime get out and do some Holiday shopping.

After a wet (2-5″) weekend along to coast the weather in Californiagrowing districts is predicted to be slightly above normal (65/40-44 Coast ) through most of December  with only a few rain events forecast along the coast . The desert is predicted to be dry and also slightly above normal (70/42 Desert) for December with no severe lows currently forecast

Rates  continue to ease sligh tly  before stronger Holiday demand kicks in by the end of the week. Plan ahead to get the best value and service.

LETTUCE-  Yuma quality is good and abundant. There will be strong supplies this week and shippers  will be  motivated to sell. Color, sizing and weight are all ideal..

BROCCOLI- Supplies of broccoli continue to increase with crowns likely to become more available as most growers are now breaking into their new fields.  Broccoli continues to be grown in multiple districts (Salinas, Santa Maria, Central Valley ,Yuma and Mexico) . Yuma tends  to be  the most convenient and centralized  loading location and prices generally reflect. There continues to be  plenty of broccoli available in Northern California .  Heavy discounts for volume are being offered but there is the risk of water spotting and pin rot due to the heavy rains over the weekend along the northern coast. The  desert is the  recommended loading location currently. .

CAULIFLOWER-    Salinas and Santa Maria continue to be the primary growing regions and  production has yet to fully get underway in the desert. There is currently light supplies of cauliflower on the market but look for additional supplies as the week progresses as conditions improve in the desert.

LEAF ITEMS-   Good growing conditions have resulted in ample supplies of all leaf  . There is  also a strong supply of Hearts.  Markets should remain steady  through the next couple weeks. Quality is very nice in the desert.

CELERY-  Most shippers  have started their southern production in either Oxnard or the desert .  The shippers who don’t grow in the desert continue to transfer Celery to their desert loading facilities for convenience.  This creates a wide range in markets during the Winter season. Best deals will come from  Oxnard  although heavy rains will delay harvest over the next few days . Look for larger sizes  to become more prevalent next week..

ASPARAGUS–  Mexican production has been steady.  Market is  expected to remain steady as well.

GREEN ONION-   There continues to be an abundant supply of Green Onions on the market especially small sizes Pricing on larger sizes is slightly higher  but look for more uniform pricing as we get closer to the Christmas Holiday demand.

CARROTS- Recent rains may affect harvest but above normal weather forecast should help get production back on track .  Market should remain active through the Holidays with heavy promotions.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS-  Supplies look to continue to be strong.  The  market is repeating its’ performance from early November with a good supply and a weakening market but  significant  promotions for the Holiday will again tighten the market rapidly.  Take advantage of promotional pricing before and during the Christmas Holiday.

STRAWBERRIES-  Heavy rains along the coast have wiped out production  for most of this week .  Mexico will be  the primary source of fruit until fields can recover. Florida fruit is in it’s early stages and will be  limited  Although Oxnard should recover by next week supplies  will be limited everywhere for the next 3 weeks. . Raspberries production will be  setback due to the coastal rains as well. Blackberries primarily from Mexico have increased and continue offer a good value.

A slow start to the Holiday pull should start to heat up as we get closer to Christmas.  There have been abundant supplies in the coolers and fields in anticipation of cold weather slowing production during the peak Holiday demand but inventories will be reduced quickly as most shippers have had limited harvest the past 5 days because of the frost conditions.

The severe arctic cold wave that hit the West Coast the past week is now headed East and should be replaced by normal mild temperatures the rest of the month. Although ground temps will take a week or so of mild temps to reach levels necessary for normal growth.

OUTLOOK:  Warming to above normal Sun – Wed Dec 15^th – 18^th as a ridge develops over the deserts.  Gusty winds and cooler temps Thu – Sun Dec 19^th – 21^st. as a Gulf of AK trof digs, that could bring a chance of rain Sat – Sun Dec 20^th-  21^st.  Max temps could cool to the mid 50’s to low 60’s and morning lows to low to upper 30’s.  Minor warming follows Sun – Tue 22^nd- 24^th. 

Normal temperatures for the Coastal areas 62 hi : 40 low    Central Valley 56:38  Desert/Mexico 70:36.

Transportation rates continue to be relatively steady. There are some signs rates will ease this week but with Holiday demand and regulations scheduled to be enforced Jan 1 truck rates look to stay above previous years. Teams continue to remain in high demand with the increased regulations.  Plan ahead for best value and service.

Lettuce – Heavy shipments continue early this week but limited production due to slower growth and limited harvest hours will shorten supply.  Quality will also start to show signs of blister, peel and discoloration over the next couple weeks. 

jeux gratiut
Leaf Lettuce – Romaine production continues to be heavy but should also slow as the cold weather will have an effect on growth and quality.  Yuma valley which is normally cooler than the Coachella valley seemed to be spared the extreme cold temps but some blistering and

peel will start to show up with this week shipments. Green and Red leaf supplies and quality will also be affected by the freezing temperatures this past week.

Asparagus- Production from Coastal Mexico and Peru continues to be moderate. Increased production should commence once the weather on the West Coast returns to normal.

Carrots- Sizing has improved but good demand has kept the market active.  Cooler temps will likely result in smaller sizing moving forward.

Broccoli-   Broccoli production has peaked.  Great values on bunch and crowns were available earlier this week but supplies will likely shorten as the effects of the past weeks cold front will slow growth.  Supplies will be available but look for higher pricing through the Holiday demand period.  Supplies should rebound by the end of the month.

Cauliflower- The market has already reacted to shorter supplies due to the cold weather.  Looked for continued bump in prices until normal weather pattern sets in. Quality will also suffer to due exposure to the curd when the foliage freezes then thaws.  Cauliflower is much more significantly affected by change in the weather due to the limited production areas available.

Celery- Production continues mainly from Santa Maria and Oxnard.  Quality has been good but now with the freezing temps especially along the coast the celery quality will suffer mainly from blister and peel and possibly black heart. The market on larger sizes is likely to strengthen due to the fact the celery will have to be trimmed down significantly to remove the severe blistering. Pricing in Yuma will continue to be elevated as most celery is transferred for mixer business.

Bell Peppers- Production from the Deserts and Mexico have been steadily increasing but with good demand to match especially the Reds and Yellows. Quality has generally been very nice but freezing temperatures will have an impact on quality and supplies for the upcoming weeks.

Berries- Production in Santa Maria has been halted by the severe cold temperatures this past week. Whatever fruit was available has to be stripped down to the blossom. Even some blossoms were damaged.  Oxnard had slightly warmer temperatures but has similar issues.  The only fruit with sufficient quality to ship East will be from Mexico/Texas and Florida.  Supplies will take at least a month to rebound from the West Coast but should be improving daily from Texas and Florida.  Light supplies of Raspberries will continue with increased pricing but Blackberries should start to see better supplies. 

Citrus – Oranges California Navel shipments have been good with very good sizing and flavor profiles. Lemon production amp; quality had been improving from  Coachella and Coastal valley but it is yet to be determined if the recent freeze had the duration to affect the Navels or Lemons which tend to be heartier than the Mandarins.