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