Cosmic Crisp is now available!! Small-sized fruit is limited availability in some varieties. 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 and demand is up just slightly. Mexico represents the majority and normally we would be seeing pricing go up but due to slowness in the Foodservice area, this has not yet happened. The market may change slightly over the next two weeks as harvests and crossing will be limited to 3 days each due to the holidays. Time will tell. Mexico has good volume, especially on smaller sizes. 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 but this should clean up over the next 3 weeks.
The industry appears to be in good shape with BLACKBERRIES. Mexican product continues to increase, while the fruit from Oxnard is starting to build inventories.
All imported fruit. Peru is past peak production, but still arriving weekly. Mexican fruit shows a steady increase. Argentina BLUES are starting to arrive on both coasts.
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.
The week before Christmas and the STRAWBERRY business has been good. The continued increase in Mexican fruit will keep the market steady. But with holiday week next week, we will see the business drop and supplies decrease as most harvesting crews will shut down for Christmas.
Central Calif Grapes are winding down fast with Green seedless all but done with a strong market. Red seedless are still showing fair to good supplies and should clean up by early Jan so here we are seeing an overlap with imports. The quality and condition of grapes are still pretty good though stems are definitely showing age (brown in color with some brittle). The market is moving up. Offshore available in the west the week of Dec 20th; some fruit is already appearing on the east coast with light supplies.
Calif KIWI fruit is all picked and in storage for packing out this winter. Sizing this year is on the large size mostly 30/33 not a lot of 39/42 sizes (will demand premiums Feb/March). The fruit is still hard so a few days in ambient temperature will bring the condition up for eating and using. All packs are available. The market is steady on larger sizes but on the rise on 36 and smaller. Note the East coast is seeing some Greek imports again these are mostly 36 and larger.
The lemon market continues 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; quality is looking nice fruit is firm/lighter yellow in color; though we are seeing some off-color in District 1 we think this is due to all the smoke central Calif experience this summer and fall. Meyers have started mostly out of the desert and a few ranches here in Central Calif– great for cooking think curds/lemons pies and Lemon squares.
Quality: Good performance will be 67%. The current regions of lime: Gulf of Mexico: The weather forecast scattered rains for this weeks due to cold front #20. The fruit will have a medium presence of blanching, scaring, skin breakdown, and light green color in big sizes. The availability will be medium sizes. In the Pacific Region: Quality will have a medium presence of skin breakdown, scarring, blanching, and good green color. The size available is small and medium sizes. The weather forecast rains due to the cold front #20. The availability 250’s-10%, 230’s-30%-,200’s- 25%,-175’s -19%, 150 -110’s – 16%
Very few available from Ecuador in 5 and 10 count sizes.
Honeydew supplies are done domestically through Mexico has been crossing good volume. Sizes have been mostly 6/8/5’s. Offshore supplies are coming in limited numbers. The market is steady.
Cantaloupe profile is peaking on 9/12 with domestic fruit done. Offshore from Guatemala is arriving and quality is looking good on both coasts. Supplies are limited for the next 10 days. The market is up slightly.
Navels peaking 113/88/72’s. Demand is good with a steady market. The quality looks very nice with fruit packing out about 85% fancy. Night temps in the low to mid 30 to low 40’s have made the color bloom. In addition to Navels we now have Blood Oranges and Cara Cara supplies are light and sizing is similar to navels.
All varieties of pears are available. Pricing continues to be very strong. Quality is good.
Movement expected about the same. Trading early very slow, late moderate. Prices 8s generally unchanged, others slightly higher.
Mandarin/ Clementines are in full swing. The fruit is looking and eating great. Sizing is peaking 32/36/28. The crop size is nice but 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. Desert has also started on Minneola though this year supplies out of this area are very light and only in a few hands.
Pomegranates/ Persimmons are done harvesting and fresh supplies are winding down. Note we will continue to have Arils (pomegranate seeds) through the winter packing to order. Asian Pears are available with both Yellow and Brown skin varieties available. Peach/ Plums/ Nectarines are done domestically… Imports are arriving mostly air shots… early vessel arrivals expected in the January market is high.
Movement expected to increase slightly. Supplies very light and in few hands. Quality is variable.