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 expected to escalate through the Holidays. Offshore supplies are anticipated to be slow to start.
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