Weekly Produce Update Northwest Apples Movement continues to be very steady for the retail side. A little slower on the wholesale side. Large varietal supplies are tight. There are many deals as shippers continue to clean up regular storage product. Gala & Gold Delicious have been tight over the last week. Quality is good. There are some deals on various small sizes on Reds, Fuji, & Pink Lady. Onions Market continues to remain soft with some deals on top of that. Even though numbers indicate that onions will be short come this spring. Mexico continues to cross good quality onions-prices are down a bit. Texas is on track with New crop onions with volume by May. Southern California by May. Super colossal and colossal onions are somewhat tight in WA however, Idaho has them available. Quality and condition are outstanding. Pears Demand for pears keeps going strong. NW pear 100s/smaller are extremely tough to find in any grade. Condition is good on all varieties. D'Anjou, Bosc, Seckel, Comice, & various Red pears are available. Most shippers are done with Bartletts. Pricing continues to be on the stronger side on small pears & we are starting to see deals on large Anjou. Many shippers are peaking on 70's & 80's. Demand remains steady, prices remaining fairly steady with an underlying strength - dependent on what state they are in and the size profile- not to mention truck availability. There continues to be a variance in pricing mostly due to supply and demand on given supplies.
Colored Potatoes Mt. Vernon District: White potatoes are finished - only a handful remain. Red and Yellows are in fair supply. Yellow and Red Fingerlings are available in Mt Vernon. Quality and color is excellent. Eastern Washington colored potatoes-reds and Yellows are available. Southern California has some new crop. Potatoes There is a strong demand for large size russets, mostly the mainstream sizes like 60's and 70's. Prices remaining fairly steady. However, there is a variance in pricing in the NW with a few shippers which is curious given the demand on the hard to find sizes. Idaho continues to offer cheaper prices - one has to wonder if Idaho is as short as they claim. 40 count russets are in better supply currently from WA and CO with aggressive prices available with a few shippers. This does indicate that the later storage will tend to have more size. Yet, a few growers are beginning to hold back supplies in WA to make supplies last into spring. Keep in mind storage numbers indicate less stock on hand relative to last season in the NW. Bale prices remain unchanged. Burbanks are demanding a bit higher FOB especially on larger sizes. The opposite is true for Norkotahs. Organic Russets are available. Transportation has become a bit easier - both cost and availability. CALIFORNIA FRESNO Avocado Mexico supplies looking good peaking 48/60/70/40. However, they are looking to increase cost in the field by slowing harvest. 36's and larger fruit still remain tight which will continue until May. Market remains steady to slightly stronger with brisk business. Maturity is nice with even ripening. Expect to see supplies good out of this area until early June. California Hass is picking up volume with mostly 60/48's size fruit and will continue increasing through March. Fruit right now is firm and taking a few days to ripen. The crop volume is looking fairly good for summer demand at this time. Sizing profile at this time is 48's and smaller. Like Mexico large fruit is scarce and will stay this way for the foreseeable future. Peru is expected to start arriving to the US in late May and go through the summer. We will keep you posted as to sizing profiles.
Carrots Processed Carrot supplies are steady and moving well with both regular Orange color and Rainbow color supplies. However, Conventional Carrots are in good demand and market remains up on Jumbo/Cello/Clip Tops. Be sure to book early to get the packs and sizes you need. Grapes Good Chile Green supplies while Red Flames are finished and now into Crimsons and other Red varieties. Reds & Blacks are expected to remain light for the another week. Berry size is peaking Large to Extra Large. Loading in LA area as well as consolidation to Central Calif as needed. Lemons District 1, Central Calif. has fruit available on all sizes and grades at this time. Fruit continues to peaking fancy-140's and larger. Market is slightly lower which is a good thing with Lent demand. Shippers are looking to place ADS for the next few weeks. Meyer Lemons are starting to slow down. Starting to see some issues of softness on this fruit. Color is high and fruit is heavy with juice at this time. Melons Cantaloupe/Honeydew Cantaloupe market continues somewhat flat with run of sizes. Guatemala/Honduras/Costa Rica are the suppliers at this time. Quality and condition are looking good with the fruit eating well. Honeydew market is showing a little more strength than Loupes. Again fruit is mostly off shore-- Guatemala/Honduras some form Mexico. Mostly arriving with 6/8's larger fruit is tight. Offshore numbers are improving as is quality. Cantaloupe market continues flat and shippers are starting to look to make some deals on some lots. Guatemala/Honduras are the suppliers at this time sizing 9-15's. Quality and condition are looking good with the fruit eating well. Honeydew market is showing a little more strength than Loupes. Again fruit is all off shore-- Guatemala/Honduras. Offshore numbers are improving especially on larger size fruit. Quality continues mixed depending on origin.
Orange Navels have been active with inventory expected slightly better than last week. However, due to rains coming back in picking will be light again next week. Actually had some small fruit available for shipping last week domestic. Deals (prices to move) are still to be had on large fruit 40/36's where packs continue heavy. Sizing is peaking 72/56/88. Color is nice and the fruit is eating well. Market is sporadic with prices still strong on smaller sizes. 113/138 sizes regardless of grade. Cara Cara are peaking 88/72's limited on small fruit heavy to fancy. Color is looking nice. Pack outs are clean and heavy to fancy fruit. Available in half & full cartons as well as bags (to order). Bloods are in the same boat on sizes. Fruit this year is big peaking on 88-40's if you can believe it. 113's and smaller are non-existent. Color is looking very nice. Market is strong and can be packed to order in full cartons. Supplies of this item starting to wind down for the season and expect to be finished in next 3 weeks. Potatoes California New Potatoes are starting back in Bakersfield on Whites A's are limited. Red and Yellow are still a few weeks away. Specialty Citrus Specialties are in demand. Supplies are good and prices steady. We are seeing some Rio Grapefruit from Yuma/Coachella with good supplies. Sizing this year is peaking 40's with light supplies of 56's. Call for promotions. Gold Nuggets supplies of this easy peel seedless Mandarin expected until May. Peaking large/jumbo at this time in various packs. Come and get them. Murcott peaking jumbo/large. Color is nice. Fruit can be packed up for you in 25# bulk/bags and 4x5#. Let us know your pack preference and we will get you set up. Expect supplies to stay good for another 4 weeks or so. Minneolas now in Central Calif with good volume available to move. Market expected to stay strong. Sizing peaking 64/80/100's run offers by us.
Stone Fruit No change waiting on assessment to late Feb/early March weather bloom and fruit sets Improved supplies of Imported Peach/Red Plum. Nectarines remain in lighter supply. We are also starting to see Chilean Bartlett Pears. All this fruit is available in full pallet quantities out of LA area & consolidated with notice. Calif BLOOMS are being seen on early Peaches/Nectarines/Cherries. However, this last week Central Calif experienced some freezing temperatures... blooms don't like this and neither do the bees. Growers are still out assessing the issues so we will keep you posted as to domestic fruit starting. Watermelon Watermelon supplies are light out of Mexico with growers struggling for sugar. Offshore volume has been somewhat sporadic. Trying to move the market back up. Quality and maturity are mixed until Mexico transitions completely to the north. Kiwi Kiwi supplies are from Italy and Calif (finishing) at this time. Look for Chile to start arriving with supplies here the end of the month, early April. Market is currently moving up due to fair supplies. Most all sizes and packs are now available. SALINAS Berries Strawberries- Production in California is down due cold weather and rain. Rain is expected the next week in California. Mexico also has been dealing with some rain issue but production was closing down. Florida is ending production in the next couple of weeks. Raspberries- Production down in California and up in Mexico due to varieties. Rain will slow production. Blackberries- Production down in California with Mexico running at averages. Blueberries- Production is mostly from Central Mexico and Santa Maria is slowing down. Florida has started and should pick up better production by the first week of April.
Brocolli Supplies remain on the light side in the desert, and while a few more shippers have opened up their Salinas coolers. The market remains pretty active on both bunched and crowns. Demand is still relatively quiet, keeping the market from really taking off. Wet weather forecast for this week in Northern California is sure to slow the harvest in Salinas. Quality remains good. ICauliflower Supplies are better. Salinas has started. Quality and condition are good. Prices will be lower through the week. Celery Market has taken a step upwards in pricing as supplies have tightened up on larger sizes. CA/AZ freezes will also come into play with supplies. Expect market to continue to go up as the Yuma season comes to an end. Iceberg Lettuce Market is being driven by supply only. Demand is very light and quality is fair at best. This week, if demand picks up, things will get crazy! Leaf Lettuces Markets on leaf will be climbing for the next 3 weeks with weather and being ahead of schedule. Look for prices to rise with romaine, green, red and butter to follow. Supply will be down as well as the quality. Looking to keep going for the next few weeks. No business out there MCALLEN Mexican Chili Peppers Steady supplies on Serrano, Poblano and Jalapenos, more supplies on Anaheim as well. Less supplies expected next week with higher prices. Demand will be better. Poblano price is down with poor quality. Mexican Limes The limes have reacted. The price is going down and supplies are coming in and the market is coming off. Mango Good quality overall with fair prices. Mexican Supplies have started with the yellow mangos. The red mango from Mexico has started and the fruit is coming with big sizes. Prices are coming off.
Melons Honeydews are coming in with good volumes. No real changes. Mexican Avocado There are supplies except on the big fruit which has more of a demand. The avocados are fair quality and there's good availability on number twos. The fruit will get tight on 70's/60's/84's. The demand is slow. Pineapple Mexican Pineapple prices are steady overall and are expected to hold. Good supplies and quality overall. The price is steady. No changes. Mexican Tomatoes Cooler weather has affected supplies. Market overall higher less supplies on Roma tomatoes. Fair supplies on Round tomatoes. Watermelons The watermelon are coming in steady supplies. The movement is fair. The volume from Mexico is down more of a demand for minis. Mexican Onions White Mexican onions available now, quality has improved. Market is steady, mostly jumbos and large. Prices are coming off. NOGALES Cucumbers Cucumber prices are up this week, supplies have tightened up. Product is available in Nogales. English cucumbers are steady. Mini cucumbers are down; yet supplies have improved. Beef Steak Tomatoes There are decent supplies of beef available. Product is crossing through Nogales. Roma Tomatoes Supplies have tightened. Both romas and rounds are up this week. There is a wide range of quality available. Supplies are available in McAllen and Nogales. Peppers Green Pepper prices are steady. Red bells are up and supplies are tight. Yellow and Orange bells supplies are steady. Product is crossing through Nogales.
Grape Tomatoes Grape tomato prices and supplies are up a little this week, the product looks nice and supplies are decent. Product is crossing through Nogales. Cherry tomato prices are steady. SOUTHEAST Cabbage Moderate supplies from Florida. Quality good overall. Corn Good supplies from Florida. Quality is generally good. Prices are higher. Eggplant Limited supplies from Florida. Green Beans Moderate supplies from Florida. Green Bell Pepper Good supplies from Florida. Prices are lower. Sweet Potatoes Good supplies from Florida. Prices remain unchanged. Yellow Squash and Zucchini Good supplies from Florida. Quality is generally good. visit us: www.superiorfoods.co