MARKET UPDATE FOR APRIL 15, 2024
APPLES The market is level. Gala stocks have started to decline for the season. Quality is very good. Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, and Red Delicious Apples are available.
ASPARAGUS Prices are slightly elevated but stable amid weak demand; fewer fields are available in Caborca, Mexico. Small size dominates availability; jumbo and extra-large stocks are tight.
AVOCADO The market is steady. Production has returned to normal in Mexico after Holy Week reduced labor availability. California supplies will increase through the month.
BELL PEPPERS Prices are level. Yields are sufficient out of South Florida; large sizes dominate these fields. The Plant City harvest will start in 10 days. Mexican supplies are average. Quality is good: shriveling and pitting are sporadic issues. The California desert season is expected to start April 22. Canadian greenhouse red pepper volume is rising.
BLACKBERRIES Prices are rising. Yields are fairly steady in Central Mexico; demand exceeds supply. Quality is very good; some red cell has been reported.
BLUEBERRIES Markets are rising. Mexican supplies are adequate. Quality is average; slight dehydration is being reported due to warmer weather.
BROCCOLI Prices are falling; yields are increasing in California's Salinas Valley. The Arizona-California desert season has ended. Quality is excellent.
CANTALOUPE Prices are stable. Imported melons are shipping from Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Honduras. Stocks are dominated by 9-count melons; smaller 12- and 15-count sizes are scarce. Quality is good; soft fruit and bruising are issues in some fields due to increased travel times. New crop Cantaloupe Melon harvests will begin in the Arizona-California desert region in mid-May.
CAULIFLOWER Markets are expected to remain steady for several weeks. Salinas Valley supplies are ample; some growers continue to harvest in the Arizona-California desert region, increasing overall volume. Quality is very good.
CELERY Prices have stabilized. The majority of industry production is in Oxnard, California; Santa Maria harvests will continue year-round. Florida production will end in late April. The Salinas Valley season will start in early to mid-June. Quality is very good in all regions; disease pressure is minimal.
CHILI PEPPERS Habanero, Jalapeno, and Pasilla markets are slightly higher. Red Fresno prices are down a bit. Harvests were skipped in Chihuahua, Mexico due to cooler weather and low yields that typically would have softened markets at this time of year. Anaheim, Jalapeno, Pasilla, and Serrano Chile Peppers are available.
CUCUMBERS Production should continue at a steady pace through April in South Florida. Domestic growers will transition to Georgia in mid-May. Mexican growers are harvesting in multiple areas. Baja will become the dominant region by late May/early June. Quality is very good.
GRAPES The Chilean-Peruvian offshore season will wrap up in three weeks. Grapes will transition to Mexican-grown product in mid- to late May. Expect pricing to increase as the offshore season continues to wind down.
GREEN LEAF The market is low. The Salinas Valley season is off to a great start; supplies are abundant. Defects are currently minimal and being trimmed at harvest. Quality is very good.
HONEYDEW Prices are fairly level. Mexican supplies remain limited but are expected to increase later this week. Quality is very good. New crop Honeydew Melon harvests will begin in the Arizona-California desert region in mid-May.
ICEBERG Markets are lower as the Salinas season ramps up; stocks are also available in Huron and Oxnard. Quality is very good, although low weights are present in many lots. Mildew, growth cracks, and sun scalding are minor issues.
LEMONS Prices are high. San Joaquin Valley and Southern California volume is low; small sizes are scarce. The offshore season will begin in early June.
LIMES Markets are trending downward and will remain low through spring. Supplies are dominated by small sizes (175- to 250-count fruit). Quality is very good.
ONIONS Pacific Northwest yellow and white onion prices are unchanged; red onion markets are high. The storage season will end over the next 10 to 14 days. Fresh-run supplies from Mexico and Texas are available. The higher water content and lower acids in new crop onions tend to shorten shelf-life, but quality is great. The California desert season will start the week of April 22.
ORANGES Elevated markets persist. California Navel supplies are tightening up; 113- and 138-count sizes will remain extremely scarce through the end of the season. Growers are also shipping California Valencia oranges; volume is rising. Mexican Valencia supplies will be shipped into June. Navel Oranges are available.
PEARS Prices are up. Washington volume is lower-than-normal this season. D’Anjou and Bosc shortages are increasing markets. Crop size is dominated by 70- through 90-count fruit; 110-count and smaller sizes are tight.
PINEAPPLES Markets are elevated. Costa Rican and Mexican supplies are extremely scarce. Volume will remain limited through the Mother’s Day holiday, especially larger sizes (five- through seven-count).
RED/YELLOW POTATOES Prices are high. The Washington season will end in late April. North Dakota storage stocks will be depleted by mid-May. Idaho growers will ship through July. Harvesting is underway in Florida; volume is climbing. The California season will start in early May. Arizona and Texas production will begin in early July. Quality is very good.
POTATOES Comparable markets are predicted for the next few months. Idaho Norkotah Potatoes are expected to be depleted by late June; Burbanks will be the sole variety for the remainder of the season. Large sizes (40- through 50-count stocks) are diminishing; smaller sizes (60- through 100-count supplies) are ample.
RASPBERRIES Demand exceeds supply; prices are elevated. Mexican production is limited; expect volume to decrease. Quality is average; warmer weather is impacting fruit quality and size.
ROMAINE Prices are low. The Salinas Valley season is off to a great start; stocks are plentiful. Defects are currently minimal and being trimmed at harvest. Quality is very good.
STRAWBERRIES The market is elevated. Last week's rain and cooler weather increased issues like white shoulders and bruising, reducing California volume.
TOMATOES Round tomato prices are up in Florida; past rain has reduced yields. Volume is down significantly compared to last year at this time. Stocks should increase once the Ruskin and Palmetto regions get underway in a couple of weeks. Growers will harvest in Western Mexico into late May/early June. Expect smaller sizes as these crops age. The Baja season will begin in mid to late May, easing markets.
TREE FRUIT Chilean white and yellow nectarines, peaches, as well as red and black plums are diminishing; the offshore season is winding down. Markets will rise until the California season starts in late May. Quality is very good.
WATERMELON Markets remain elevated in both growing regions. Supplies are tightening due to inconsistent ripeness. Volume should increase over the next several weeks as weather warms. Quality is average.
ZUCCHINI Prices remain weak. Stocks are abundant in Mexico and Florida. Quality is very good. Production will begin in Georgia in two weeks.