Cosmic Crisp is now available!! Small-sized fruit is limited availability on some varieties. Big red delicious are tight. USDA orders & a shorter crop, have kept the market strong. The retail movement continues to be steady, in the wake of COVID-19. Quality has been good, overall.
The avocado market remains steady despite Mexico’s light supplies crossing. Mexico represents the majority and normally we would be seeing pricing going up but due to slowness in the Foodservice area, this has not yet happened. Mexico has good volume especially on smaller sizes 60/70/84. Sizing is peaking 60/48/70. We are still seeing some Lenticil issues out of Mexico (this is cosmetic only and in no way affects fruit quality but will put more into the #2 category) as a result of summer rains on the fruit.
Like the Strawberries, BLACKBERRY volumes out of California will continue to decrease, while the Mexican volumes will increase. The biggest Mexican volumes will be crossing out of McAllen, Tx.
Imported BLUEBERRIES continue to arrive on both coasts. Peru is past peak production, while Mexican and Argentinian fruit continues to show weekly increased volumes.
RASPBERRY numbers continue to increase. Supplies from Mexico look to build for the next couple of weeks. California fruit from Oxnard is becoming available daily in limited numbers. The majority of the fruit is available out of Mcallen, Tx.
Expect the demand for STRAWBERRIES to pick up slightly next week as we capture a little bit of Holiday business. Supply numbers out of California will continue to be down, but volumes will increase out of Mexico next week.
Central Calif supplies of Grapes are winding down fast on Green seedless will be done with supplies by Christmas and the market reflects this. Red seedless are in fair to good supplies and expect to have into the early part of Jan so here at least we will see an overlap with imports later this month. The quality and condition of the grapes are still very good. The market is starting to move up. Look for Offshore available in the west the week of Dec 20th; some fruit is already appearing on the east coast now with light supplies.
Calif is moving local grown KIWI. The fruit is still fruit and will need a bit of time in ambient temperature to condition up. All sizes and packs are available. The market is steady and all the fruit is picked and binned back for custom packing out over the next 3 months.
The lemon market is relatively steady picking out of District 3 and also now in District 1 (though this fruit is taking some gas to color up). In general, the fruit is peaking 140/115; the quality is looking nice fruit is firm lighter yellow in color. The Meyers have started mostly out of the desert and a few ranches here in Central Calif– Great for Lemons Pies.
Good performance for this week will be 65 to 70%. The current regions of lime: Gulf of Mexico: The weather forecast scattered rains for this week starting Saturday in this crop zone. The defects will be medium presence of blanching, scaring, skin break down, light green color in big sizes. The availability will stay in medium sizes. In the Pacific Region: (Jalisco, Colima, Michoacán) Medium presence skin break down, good green color. The sizes available are small to medium sizes. Forecast light rains. The availability 250’s 15%, 230’s-200’s 40%, 175’s-25%, 150 -110’s 15%.
Movement expected about the same. Trading early moderate, late very slow. Prices are generally unchanged. Quality is variable.
Honeydew supplies are winding down with the harvest out of Mexico. Sizes have been mostly 6/8/5’s. Offshore supplies are coming in with limited numbers.
Cantaloupe profile is peaking on 9/12 with domestic fruit done. Offshore from Guatemala is arriving and looking good on both coasts. The market is up slightly.
Navels peaking 113/88/72’s. Gassing time is down to less than 24 hours and on some ranches, none is required at all. Demand is good with the market steady on larger 56-48 sizes but looking to move on small 113/138’s. Quality is looking very nice with fruit packing out about 85% fancy. Central Calif continues to have optimum temps with nights in the low to mid 30’s (knock on wood no hard freeze warnings in the immediate future). In addition to Navels, we have also started Blood Oranges and Cara Cara though both are in very limited hands for the next 10 days (growers holding out for better natural color). Sizing on both of these items will be peaking around an 88.
All varieties of pears are available. Pricing continues to be very strong. Quality is good.
Movement expected about the same. Trading early slow, late very slow. Prices 7s slightly lower, others lower. Quality is variable.
Mandarin/ Clementines are in full swing. The fruit is looking and eating great (cool nights have really improved color). Sizing is peaking 32/36/28. The crop size is nice and not expecting much on small fruit this year. Pummelos/ Oro Blanco (Sweeties) are also currently picking … sizing 10/12/8’s with a very nice color. Grapefruit has started up again off to the desert with very limited availablity.
Pomegranates/ Persimmons/ and Quince are now all on board for the holiday season. Decent sizing and color on all. Asian Pears are also still going with both Yellow and Brown skin varieties available. Peach/ Plums/ Nectarines are done domestically starting to see some high prices air shots out of South America for big money.
Movement expected to increase slightly. Supplies very light and in few hands. Quality is variable.