Friday, May 23, 2008
organic produce market conditions update
Vegetables
Asparagus - Steady, moderate supplies coming from northern California and Wisconsin. Wisconsin will be picking up volume over the next few weeks.
Broccoli - Good supplies on broccoli as the market continues to softens this week. Expect good supplies and a low market for the month of June.
Cabbage - Both east and west coasts have limited supplies of red cabbage. Look for this item to be tight for the next few weeks. There are fair supplies on both coasts of green cabbage.
Cauliflower - The market has dropped significantly. Much like broccoli, expect good supplies and a low market for the month of June.
Celery - Although the celery market is somewhat limited right now this should change over the next 2 weeks as the market will begin to soften.
Chards - Better supplies this week on chards with a slightly softer market. Red and Rainbow varieties are seeing the tightest availability.
Collards - Collards remain in limited supply. It will still be another couple of weeks before availability improves.
Kale - Kale supplies also remain limited with no real change in the marketplace.
Leaf Lettuces - Good availability continues with a slightly softer market this week. Supplies and pricing should remain good/excellent throughout the month of June.
Leeks - Good supplies on leeks and a steady market this week.
Onions - New crop onions are now available. Sweet Vidalia onions out of Georgia are also available.
Potatoes - New crop red, white and yellow potatoes from California are available.
Spinach - Good supplies as the spinach market softens. Strong supplies should remain through the month of June.
Tomatoes - The layered tomato market is steady this week.
Broccoli - Good supplies on broccoli as the market continues to softens this week. Expect good supplies and a low market for the month of June.
Cabbage - Both east and west coasts have limited supplies of red cabbage. Look for this item to be tight for the next few weeks. There are fair supplies on both coasts of green cabbage.
Cauliflower - The market has dropped significantly. Much like broccoli, expect good supplies and a low market for the month of June.
Celery - Although the celery market is somewhat limited right now this should change over the next 2 weeks as the market will begin to soften.
Chards - Better supplies this week on chards with a slightly softer market. Red and Rainbow varieties are seeing the tightest availability.
Collards - Collards remain in limited supply. It will still be another couple of weeks before availability improves.
Kale - Kale supplies also remain limited with no real change in the marketplace.
Leaf Lettuces - Good availability continues with a slightly softer market this week. Supplies and pricing should remain good/excellent throughout the month of June.
Leeks - Good supplies on leeks and a steady market this week.
Onions - New crop onions are now available. Sweet Vidalia onions out of Georgia are also available.
Potatoes - New crop red, white and yellow potatoes from California are available.
Spinach - Good supplies as the spinach market softens. Strong supplies should remain through the month of June.
Tomatoes - The layered tomato market is steady this week.
Fruit
Apples - Northwest apple supplies are beginning to tighten. There are limited supplies of storage red and gold delicious causing the market to rise. The Chilean import supply remains limited due to overall gapping. Crop loss combined with fair quality means very limited supplies and higher pricing on Braeburn, Pink Lady and Granny Smith varieties. Look for variable availability on these apples through June. The first of the New Zealand Galas are just now arriving with Fujis expecting to arrive next week. Expect a very high market on the New Zealand apples due to reduced crop and a strong market due to the Chilean shortage. Look for New Zealand Braeburns to arrive in mid June.
Apricots/Cherries - California apricots supplies should improve as we move into next week. California cherries should be increasing but there has been some crop loss from high damaging winds. The northwest cherry crop will be delayed this year (start time around June 15) and supplies will be down significantly due to late freeze damage. Expect very high pricing during June with possible gaps between California and Northwest crops.
Avocados - The Mexican Hass crop is done for now and the focus is on the California Hass. Right now they are peaking on 60 count sizes. There is good availability on 48 and 70 size as well.
Berries - Current strawberry supplies are good with excellent size berries available. Once the weather warms up and they become available from the central California coast expect the supplies to be very heavy. Raspberries out of Watsonville are beginning to peak - quality is excellent and pricing is down. Blueberries are available from both east and west coasts featuring good berry size with very nice sugar content!
Citrus - Excellent supplies of California Valencias are available. Mexico also has good supplies on Valencias - look for these to go through the end of May. Florida is finishing up with their Valencia season. The lemon market is still tight. Limes are becoming in much better supply. Navels are finished for the season. California grapefruit supplies are strong with mostly big size fruit available. Now shipping Desert Pink and Star Ruby varieties.
Grapes - Early California and Mexican Red Flame grapes have begun. Overall good supplies are expected as we head into June. Quality report is very strong! Mexican Perlettes are now shipping with Sugarones beginning next week. Look for the Superiors to begin in 2 weeks. California black grapes should begin mid/late June.
Kiwi - Newly harvest kiwi from New Zealand are now arriving on a regular basis. Organic gold kiwi is now available for the first time in several years.
Mangoes - Tommy Atkins and Haden variety mangoes are not as abundant as they have been in the past few months causing the market to rise slightly. Expect lighter supplies on these varieties for the next 2-3 weeks before supplies pick up again. Ataulfo and Haitian mangoes are in steady supply and are a very flavorful alternative to the popular looking red mangoes.
Nectarines/Peaches/Plums - Mexican yellow peaches should go for about another 10 days. Pricing is down as they are overlapping with California supplies. California is starting to see increased volume on peaches with fruit peaking at smaller sizes right now. White peaches are in fair supply with small sizing as well. Nectarine supplies remain light out of California but are slowly improving. Nectarines will begin their peak production around June 7th and continue through July. The first of the red plums should begin next week. Plums have been delayed due to cool weather. Expect black plums to begin around the first week of June. Overall forecast is for strong availability this season on plums.
Pears - With a lack of apples, there has been heavy demand on import pears causing prices to rise. Current volume is with Anjou and Packham varieties. Anjou pears should finish by mid June with the Packham variety finishing by the end of June. Bosc available is fair but they should be ending by the start of June. All domestic pears are finished.
Apricots/Cherries - California apricots supplies should improve as we move into next week. California cherries should be increasing but there has been some crop loss from high damaging winds. The northwest cherry crop will be delayed this year (start time around June 15) and supplies will be down significantly due to late freeze damage. Expect very high pricing during June with possible gaps between California and Northwest crops.
Avocados - The Mexican Hass crop is done for now and the focus is on the California Hass. Right now they are peaking on 60 count sizes. There is good availability on 48 and 70 size as well.
Berries - Current strawberry supplies are good with excellent size berries available. Once the weather warms up and they become available from the central California coast expect the supplies to be very heavy. Raspberries out of Watsonville are beginning to peak - quality is excellent and pricing is down. Blueberries are available from both east and west coasts featuring good berry size with very nice sugar content!
Citrus - Excellent supplies of California Valencias are available. Mexico also has good supplies on Valencias - look for these to go through the end of May. Florida is finishing up with their Valencia season. The lemon market is still tight. Limes are becoming in much better supply. Navels are finished for the season. California grapefruit supplies are strong with mostly big size fruit available. Now shipping Desert Pink and Star Ruby varieties.
Grapes - Early California and Mexican Red Flame grapes have begun. Overall good supplies are expected as we head into June. Quality report is very strong! Mexican Perlettes are now shipping with Sugarones beginning next week. Look for the Superiors to begin in 2 weeks. California black grapes should begin mid/late June.
Kiwi - Newly harvest kiwi from New Zealand are now arriving on a regular basis. Organic gold kiwi is now available for the first time in several years.
Mangoes - Tommy Atkins and Haden variety mangoes are not as abundant as they have been in the past few months causing the market to rise slightly. Expect lighter supplies on these varieties for the next 2-3 weeks before supplies pick up again. Ataulfo and Haitian mangoes are in steady supply and are a very flavorful alternative to the popular looking red mangoes.
Nectarines/Peaches/Plums - Mexican yellow peaches should go for about another 10 days. Pricing is down as they are overlapping with California supplies. California is starting to see increased volume on peaches with fruit peaking at smaller sizes right now. White peaches are in fair supply with small sizing as well. Nectarine supplies remain light out of California but are slowly improving. Nectarines will begin their peak production around June 7th and continue through July. The first of the red plums should begin next week. Plums have been delayed due to cool weather. Expect black plums to begin around the first week of June. Overall forecast is for strong availability this season on plums.
Pears - With a lack of apples, there has been heavy demand on import pears causing prices to rise. Current volume is with Anjou and Packham varieties. Anjou pears should finish by mid June with the Packham variety finishing by the end of June. Bosc available is fair but they should be ending by the start of June. All domestic pears are finished.
*All information and forecasts in this report are based on current market conditions. While accurately sourced and reported, the information is subject ot change due to natural fluctuations in the market conditions.
Liked this Post? Help us by voting now! Thanks
-
Del.icio.us (0) |
Digg | StumbleUpon | Reddit | Dzone
Comments:
<< Home
<< Home
Post a Comment