MARKET UPDATE FOR MARCH 18, 2024
APPLES Markets are stable; Gala prices remain slightly elevated. Michigan and Washington storage supplies are adequate; quality is very good. Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, and Red Delicious Apples are available.
ASPARAGUS Prices remain steady; supplies are abundant out of Mexico. Quality remains good; spears are straight. Yields are ample on all sizes. Peruvian supplies are limited; quality is fair.
AVOCADO Markets remain steady. New crop harvesting continues for California growing regions; expect the season to peak in May/June.
BELL PEPPERS Green and red bell supplies are snug; prices are steady to slightly elevated. Green bell quality is good out of Mexico. Florida spring crop production has begun; ideal growing conditions are aiding growth. Expect red bell volume to remain limited until Canadian greenhouses start production.
BLACKBERRIES Yields are steady out of Central Mexico; markets are slowly increasing. Quality is very good; some red cell has been reported.
BLUEBERRIES Prices are beginning to rise; demand is steady. Mexican supplies are stable while Peruvian and Chilean imports are declining as their seasons come to an end. Overall quality is good.
BROCCOLI Markets remain steady; overall supply is abundant as regions overlap with Salinas new crop production. Quality is declining through the end of the desert growing season due to sporadic weather. Central Mexico grown product is available; quality is very good due to dry, temperate weather.
CANTALOUPE Volume is ample; markets are beginning to rebound after a few weeks of lower demand. Quality and sizing vary by growing region; soft fruit, bruising, and breakdown are occasional issues caused by increased travel time. Expect markets to rise over the next week.
CAULIFLOWER Markets are rising slightly; overall supply is abundant. Overlapping growing regions, good yields, and fair-weather forecasts are good indications of continued steady markets and strong supplies. Production in the Salinas Valley has begun for most suppliers.
CELERY Supplies remain abundant; markets are steady at low levels. Most production is from Oxnard, California; Santa Maria production will continue year-round. The Arizona-California desert region is in full swing; stocks are also available from Florida. The Salinas season will start in early June. Quality remains very good in all regions.
CHILI PEPPERS Prices are rising. The Sinaloa season is off to a slow start while older crops out of the Sonora growing regions have low yields and quality. Plant City begins spring crop harvest in late March/early April; supplies will remain limited until then. Anaheim, Jalapeno, Pasilla, Serrano, and Shishito Chile Peppers are available.
CUCUMBERS Markets are steady. The Honduran import season is coming to an end and spring crop production is starting in South Florida. Quality has been good; expect supplies to increase over the next few weeks. Mexico volume remains snug but is expected to increase this week; quality is good.
GRAPES Markets are still elevated. Mexican production is expected to start in late May; the Chilean and Peruvian seasons will continue through June.
GREEN LEAF Markets are slightly elevated; expect markets to remain this way through transition and until Salinas production is in full swing. The Arizona/California desert season will start to wind down come midMarch; Huron, Oxnard, and Salinas will begin production next week. Defects are being trimmed at harvest.
HONEYDEW Supplies are tightening due to limited volume out of Mexico; expect markets to rise. Quality and sizing are mixed depending on the growing region and supplier; ground spotting, bruising, and soft fruit are occasional issues. Imported supplies are shipping from Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, and Mexico.
ICEBERG After a recent decline, iceberg markets are spiking again as suppliers manage remaining acreage in the Arizona/California desert region prior to transition. Huron, Oxnard, and Salinas production is scheduled to start next week. Overall quality is good; light weights, growth crack, and mildew are present in some lots.
LEMONS Prices are elevated; supplies remain tight. The San Joaquin Valley and Southern California growing regions are currently in production; exported fruit is expected to start in early June. The San Joaquin season is expected to finish in late April. 165- and 200- count sizes are limited; sizing is dominated by 95- through 140-count lemons.
LIMES Markets are slightly lower following a decrease in demand. Crossings from Mexico into South Texas are lighter; supplies remain dominated by larger sizes (110- and 150-count). Colombian limes are arriving in New Jersey and Florida; quality and color are good.
ONIONS Pricing is steady to slightly higher. The Pacific Northwest season will come to an end in mid- to late April; white onions remain scarce. Colorado supplies have been depleted; Utah’s season will come to an end next week. The Canadian season is winding down; supplies are limited with low packout due to poor quality. Mexico’s overall crop is 30-40% lower than last year; yellow and white onion volume has improved. Red onions will begin shipping out of Texas today; due to a marketing order #2 grade onions will not be available from this region.
ORANGES Markets are elevated; small sizes (113- through 138-count) remain extremely limited in California. California Valencia production is expected to begin in mid-April while the South Texas region is expected to end in late March. Mexican Valencias crossing into Nogales, Arizona are expected to run into June. Quality is good. Navel Oranges are available.
PEARS Pricing is steady. D’Anjou and Bosc pears are available. D’Anjou sizing leans towards the larger end while Bosc is towards the smaller. Overall quality is good.
PINEAPPLES Markets are stable. Stocks are currently shipping from Mexico, Costa Rica, and South America. Quality is excellent; fruit is firm and juicy.
RED/YELLOW POTATOES Pricing is stable; quality remains good. Red premium and A-grade stocks are limited. North Dakota red and yellow supplies are expected to wrap up in May.
POTATOES Markets are expected to remain stable for the rest of the season. 40- through 50-count supplies are limited in all growing regions; 90- through 120-count potatoes are readily available. Norkotah stocks are expected to be depleted in the Idaho growing region come late June; Burbanks will be the sole variety for the rest of the season. Washington Norkotah stocks will continue to ship from storage until mid-July while Colorado and Wisconsin stocks will wrap up mid-August. Michigan supplies will be depleted by mid-April.
RASPBERRIES Mexico production is limited; expect higher volume next week. Demand is exceeding supply; prices are elevated. Overall quality is good.
ROMAINE Prices continue to rise; expect elevated markets through transition and until Salinas production is in full swing. Overall quality is good; light fringe and internal burn have been present due to erratic weather.
STRAWBERRIES Markets remain steady. The Santa Maria/Oxnard, California and Florida growing regions are experiencing ideal growing conditions; berry quality is good. Production is increasing in Central Mexico; warmer temperatures have been reported in Maravatio. Quality is good; bruising has been reported due to warmer weather. The Mexico and Florida growing seasons will come to an end by late March/early April.
TOMATOES Prices are lower; demand is light. The Naples and Estero areas are the primary growing regions in Florida currently; the Ruskin Palmetto area is expected to start this week. Expect a slow start but increased volume by the end of the month. Growing conditions have been ideal in the Culiacan, Mexico growing region; supply and quality are improving.
TREE FRUIT Import volume is increasing. Chilean white and yellow nectarines and peaches along with black and red plums are on the market. Expect volume to slow come late March.
WATERMELON Markets are elevated but this is to be expected for this time of year. Quality is struggling out of Mexico and supplies are limited in Central America. Expect markets to remain this way for the next couple of weeks.
ZUCCHINI Demand is light; markets are slightly lower. Zucchini spring crops are beginning in Florida and Mexico; prices are dropping with this increase in supply. Overall quality is good; some wind scaring has been reported. Yellow squash prices are slightly lower and supply is increasing.