(Please click your refresh button to display the latest market update)
MARKET UPDATE FOR JANUARY 30, 2012
VEGETABLES
CALIFORNIA ICEBERG- The lettuce market is steady. Supplies are good with most suppliers. Epidermal peel and blister continues to be seen upon arrivals, but with less frequency. Lettuce carton weights are averaging 42-46 lbs. The availability is good and demand is light.
SPRING MIX / ARUGULA / WATERCRESS– The effects of the freezing temperatures have passed and quality is very good. Yields have returned to normal. Prices are steady with lackluster demand. Rocket arugula and watercress supplies and quality have returned to normal.
CALIFORNIA ROMAINE / LEAF- The romaine market is lower. Blister and peel continue to be a problem with all suppliers. Demand is light. Yields continue to be down with all suppliers. Blister, tip burn and epidermal peel are issues we continue to be dealing with and will have to continue to deal with for the next couple of weeks. Green and red leaf will have similar issue as romaine, but nowhere near as drastic. This market is lower as well. The main growing area is in Yuma. The Thermal area has picked up in production numbers.
CAULIFLOWER – This market is softer. Lack of demand has allowed some suppliers to build up a higher than normal inventory level. Good supplies are in the sixteen counts. Growers are continuing to deal with brown spotting and yields have been affected. The overall quality has been fair.
ASPARAGUS – This market continues to be softer. Supplies out of Mexico have picked up on small and standard sizing. Extra large and jumbo sizes will continue to be light throughout the week. Peruvian product continues to have extra large and jumbos available if needed.
BEANS – Green bean supplies and pricing are stable with product shipping out of Mexico. Wax (yellow) bean supplies are limited with high pricing. Snipped: Snipped green bean supply is fair with good quality. Snipped wax beans have sporadic availability with good quality.
BROCCOLI- Supplies are good on bunched product as well as crowns, and suppliers are looking to move volume. Demand however is light. Warmer weather in the growing regions has increased supplies. Availability is expected to be good throughout the week.
CELERY- This market continues to gain strength. Some suppliers started last week sold out while others were very light in availability. Better availability continues with 36 count sizing. Santa Maria as well as Oxnard and Yuma are the main areas of production on this commodity. The quality is good with no major issues to report at this time. Large sizing is still commanding a higher price.
PEPPERS – West Coast (Green/Red): Markets very unsettled. Green bell pepper production is improving. Production is shifting towards smaller/choice fruit with lighter supplies on big fruit. Red pepper is improving in supply. Field grown red peppers are increasing in production. Market is settling down on open field peppers and harvest is getting back to normal production schedules. East Coast (Green/Red): Florida shippers continue to drop pepper prices to compete with lower prices out of the West. With ample volume from both sides of the country, demand in the east is off. This market should continue its downward trend for the remainder of the week.
CUCUMBERS – English 12’s: Ontario cucumber supplies are again, moderately better as more Ontario production comes on line. Overall quality is still excellent. Foodservice grade supplies have increased and are meeting demand. Imports from Spain and Mexico are slowing down as Ontario continues to ramp up. Regular 24’s–West: This market is stabilizing as production increases due to the improving weather. East: With import containers hitting the ports over the weekend, supplies are plentiful and shippers are dealing on cucumbers this week. Quality on Honduran product has been excellent and pricing has eased.
POTATOES – Canadian: “A” reds, “B” whites, “B” reds, large Yukon golds and large CHEF #1 are all Canadian with good supply and quality. We have now made the shift to P.E.I. for all our counts and bags. The primary russet variety being packed is Goldrush. Although overall reports predict an industry decrease of approximately 7.7% compared to last year, processor demand has increased significantly. New Brunswick stocks are estimated to be down 34.9% from last year and they are worried that there will be more losses in storages. Inventories in New Brunswick are at their lowest level in over 20 years. PEI stocks are also down 7.8% from last year and they are shipping at a faster shipping pace that last year. PEI shrink and waste is also down from last year; due to the high quality crop they are generating less #2's. Eastern Canada's table supplies appear to be down on average 10%. Fry potato supplies are also well below contract levels. Canada may need to start importing product as early as May. U.S.A: Idaho Norkotahs are still limited as only a few suppliers are packing them. The Norkotah size profile is smaller and they continue to peak on 70-100 count. Idaho is running mostly Burbanks right now and they are also producing more of the smaller counts. Burbanks are producing mostly 80’s and then 70’s. The Washington market is steady on all sizes and they continue to peak on the larger counts. Colorado’s market is also steady and they are peaking on 70-count and larger. The quality for russets has been excellent in all growing areas. Bakersfield, California is still packing new crop reds, golds, and whites and pricing is steady. The availability in California is better now on all colors. Washington & North Dakota continue packing reds and golds and both areas are heavier to A-size. Gold supplies are limited in both areas though as we approach the end of the storage season. Wisconsin is also packing reds, whites, and golds and their market is also flat. Whites and golds are limited in Wisconsin as well. Idaho is still packing reds and golds and they are also peaking on A-size. Quality has been fair to excellent Idaho.
SPINACH – Savoy style spinach is in good supply with good quality. Baby spinach and flat spinach are in good supply with good quality. Supplies are easily meeting demand.
ZUCCHINI – West: Markets are very unsettled due to gaps in harvesting as a result of previous cold snap. Demand exceeds current availability. Supplies expected to improve this week. It will take a while for pipeline to replenish and markets to settle. East: Supplies are still very limited on green and yellow squash with demands exceeding supplies. Warmer temperatures in Southern Florida this past week should bring product back around in the next several days but until then, prices will remain high and availability will be minimal.
ONIONS – Yellow and red onions are steady in all areas. The Northwest has good supplies of both colors in storage and the demand has only been fair. Texas is still crossing cross a few Mexican sweets and sack medium & jumbo yellows. The Mexican product is priced slightly lower. Yellow quality has been excellent in the northwest. White supplies are fairly limited in the northwest but are steady along with the market.
GREEN ONIONS – This market is firm. Supplies are light to moderate with most shippers. The quality continues to have a few issues with decay upon arrival. Pencil sizing will have the best availability. Supplies are expected to be light to moderate for the rest of the week.
FRUIT
STRAWBERRIES – Good weather in Florida and Mainland Mexico has brought on volume out of these areas. Retail demand is very slow which is helping weaken the strawberry market. Quality is being reported as good out of all growing areas. Southern California growing areas made it through the rain last week with little damage and are recovering quickly. We feel the current market will be short lived as we get into next week due the Valentine’s Day pull starting which will firm the market up. Stem strawberries will be in high demand starting the middle of next week into the following week. If you will be looking for stem strawberries for Valentine’s Day we recommend you contact your salesman to get your stem needs pre-booked this week.
RASPBERRIES / BLACKBERRIES – Raspberries: Market is steady with good quality fruit shipping out of all areas. Blackberries: The market is firmer with good to fair quality being shipped currently.
BLUEBERRIES – The market is steady to slightly firmer. Retail ads are driving the market currently. Quality is being reported as good.
GOLD PINEAPPLES - Market has steadied out as supplies are good. Demand is steady. Quality is very good. They have very good brix and good color.
TOMATOES –The market is easing as Mexico ramps up production and West coast buyers return to the West coast for supply. Overall demand is flat with abundant supply. East Coast: Volume has decidedly dropped in Florida with many shippers going into their late winter gap as Mexico is in full production. But unfortunately, this hasn’t helped the lack of movement at destination. Prices are cheap & quality is good. If this translates to more consumption at the retail level, we could see a potential for slightly higher markets within the next week or two. But, for now the market is very soft and prices are at the bottom. West Coast/California: With a serious supply exceeds demand situation in Mexico, most all tomato commodities that are crossing at Nogales, Arizona & McAllen, Texas are presently at minimum prices as dictated by the marketing order of 1996 for product headed into the US. Crossings are still increasing & with good weather prevailing in Mexico’s interior, it will take more demand at destination to bring prices off the floor. Quality is excellent.
CANTELOUPES / HONEYDEWS – Cantaloupes: (9’s/12’s/15’s): Demand exceeds supplies. Offshore fruit is extremely limited. With fewer vessels coming in they are selling out the week prior to arrival. Product next week will continue to be limited. Quality is very good and the market is up. Honeydews (5’s/ 8’s): Demand exceeds supplies. Offshore fruit is more limited on honeydews than cantaloupe. Mexican fruit is extremely limited also. Very good quality and mostly 6’s available for what little fruit is out there. Quality is good. Fruit is selling out before it comes into port.
WATERMELON – Markets steady to slightly lower. Current availability on seedless watermelon is heavier towards 4ct. We are experiencing a small flush. Anticipate some gaps as this small flush takes its course and affects next week and the following week’s production.
STONE FRUIT- Chilean peaches, nectarines and plums, are in fairly good supply, with fair quality. Some nectarines and peaches are still cutting brown. Apricots and cherries are slowing down in availability and will be finished soon. Pricing is steady, but, as more boats arrive, pricing will ease as we move into February. There will be good promotable supplies of nectarines and plums in February and March.
LEMONS/LIMES – Lemons: Supply and demand is about equal on most sizes. Quality is good. Limes: Supplies are better to start the week off. Demand continues good 110’s-200’s, but better supplies are resulting in a lower market.
ORANGES – The winter navel crop is in full production. Quality looks very nice and fruit is now full natural color. Pack outs are running heavy to fancy grades.
MANGOS, PAPAYAS - Market is steady on mangos. Supplies are getting better as growing conditions in Mexico, Brazil and Peru improve. Quality is good. Papaya supplies have improved and pricing continues to be stable. Mango 8’s; Papaya 10’s.
GRAPES – Chilean fruit is coming in to the east coast with good quality. The red and green grapes are both very small still mostly 9/16 to 10/16. In the next week we should see some better sizing as growing areas change in Chile. The market is still very soft as there is plenty of fruit with little demand.
AVOCADOS – Mexico harvest continues with steady supplies this week. Size 48’s and larger are a little tight, with good supplies on 60ct. Market is firm and looks to stay this way until after the Super Bowl pull concludes. Chile’s volume is steady.
APPLES / PEARS – Local Ontario Mac’s, Empires, Red Delicious and Gold Delicious are in good supply. Ontario Galas are in very light supply. Washington: Washington reds are peaking on size 88/100’s and they have high color so expect more of the higher grades. Golden Delicious is heavy to 88/100’s and the higher grades as well. Granny-Smith is also peaking on 88/100’s and they are also heavy extra-fancy grades. Galas are still peaking on 88’s and smaller and are also producing more of the extra-fancy grades. Gala demand remains strong along with the market. Washington Honey Crisp is peaking on 88/100’s but the availability is low as most shippers will finish them by the end of the month. Cameos, Pink Lady’s, Jonagolds, Fuji’s, Braeburns and the other varietals are all still available. Washington Bartletts are heavy to the US#1 grade and are peaking on 100’s and smaller but the availability is light. D ‘Anjou pears are also peaking on the US#1 grade and are evenly spread across the size spectrum. Washington Bosc pears are peaking on 100/110’s and smaller and the availability is good right now. Red D’Anjou and Stark Crimson red pears are also still available.
NEW ITEMS NOW IN SEASON:
#2 POTATOES / CACTUS PEARS / CARA CARA AND BLOOD ORANGES / CLEMINTINES / CHILEAN CHERRIES, PEACHES AND APRICOTS / FLORIDA JUICE ORANGES / SEVILLE ORANGES / FLAT BEANS / PLUMS
EXOTIC MUSHROOMS:
FRESH CHANTERLLE (LTD),MORELL (BC) , HONEY MUSHROOMS, AND KING OYSTER
ITEMS NO LONGER IN AVALIABLE OR VERY SHORT :
CHAMPAGNE GRAPES / FIDDLEHEADS / ENGLISH PEAS / QUINCE / POMMEGRANITE
For your convenience we now accept
