Skip to Content

Market Insider February 12, 2021

Filtering by:
Key:
  • Promote
  • Caution
  • Alert
  • Steady

Apples

Apples
traffic light with yellow light lit up

The overall market seems to continue to be strong. 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.


Avocado

Avocado
steady

The avocado market remained steady with Mexico still crossing good numbers going into the Super Bowl (traditionally the strongest week of movement).  And as follows most years right after supplies slow down slightly…this year looks to be following suit.   We will continue with steady MX supplies through June.  Sizing 60/48/70 with fruit starting to size up slightly.  With crossing supplies tapering off slightly we expect the market will be showing signs of increasing by the end of the month.  Calif’s new crop is now all released for picking though we won’t see much volume until late Feb early March.  The crop size is definitely down from an original estimate of 300 million pounds.


berries

Blackberries

Blackberries

traffic light with yellow light lit up

Blackberries

BLACKBERRIES will be very limited for the next couple of weeks.  Rains and cool temperatures have hindered production.  The market will go up next week.

Blueberries

Blueberries

steady

Blueberries

It looks like the port situation has been rectified.  This will allow for more imported BLUEBERRIES to be off-loaded and start to fill the pipeline.  Look for this market to adjust down.

Raspberries

Raspberries

traffic light with yellow light lit up

Raspberries

RASPBERRY supplies will remain limited throughout the rest of the month.  But, with the deep freeze throughout most of the country, demand will be down. This market should not change.

Strawberries

Strawberries

traffic light with yellow light lit up

Strawberries

We are upon the busiest time of the year for STRAWBERRIES.  Valentine’s Day is almost here.  Due to recent rains and cooler temperatures, all Berry shippers are running short on supplies.  The market will continue to strengthen and fruit will be limited for the next couple of weeks.


Grapes

Grapes
traffic light with yellow light lit up

Offshore Grapes from Chile and Peru (though seeing better supplies) market is firming up.  Rains in Chilie have slowed harvest and showing some quality issues.  Hence fruit on the water and already here in the US will be more valuable.  East coast continues with better supplies of Red and Green.  Don’t expect to see any real changes in the market until mid to late Feb.


Kiwis

Kiwis
steady

KIWI is now predominately Greece and some Italian… Chile not expected until late March.  Calif growers are down to mostly 27’s and larger to move.  The imports have more sizes available but until Chile starts we are still looking at 36 and larger.  All pack styles are available and will be packed fresh out of bins for orders.  The market is starting to move up.  The east coast is seeing the better volume of imports.


Lemons

Lemons
steady

The lemon market is steadily picking out of District 1.  In general, the fruit is peaking 140/165/200 good mix heavier to fancy than choice and the Fancy is moving out well for export. Quality is looking very nice yellow fruit is clean. Also available– Meyer Lemons, great for cooking think curds/ lemons pies/ and Lemon squares.


Limes

Limes
steady

Limes are going through the time of year when they get extremely active. Here is what is going on: On average, 3 out of every 4 years in November/December, growing regions in Veracruz experience sharp drops in temperature that cause bloom drop. This causes the springtime harvests to be extremely limited and causes markets in the US to spike quickly. We are starting to see this trend yesterday and today. We don’t know where this market will stop climbing. In addition, the growing regions are forecasting rain all through next week which will severely limit harvests. We will start to see 110ct/150ct get extremely tight within the next 1-2 weeks and peak production will be mostly 230/250ct. Quality will be a challenge as we will see stylar and oil spotting due to moisture settling on the crop from the rain.

 


Mangos

Mangos
traffic light with red light lit up

The movement of Ataulfo expected to increase seasonally. Supplies light and in few hands. Trading is moderate. The increased crossing of Tommy Atkins expected to begin the week of February 28.


Mixed Melons

Mixed Melons
steady

Honeydew is mostly coming from Mexico with just bits and pieces from offshore. Quality is good to excellent. The market is flat with a good run of sizes.

Cantaloupe supplies are finally picking up and the market is settling down a bit.  Larger sizes 9/ Jbo 9 are still in shorter supplies so will demand and get a premium.  Supplies from Guatemala & Honduras.  Quality is currently good to excellent.

 


Oranges

Oranges
traffic light with yellow light lit up

Calif Navels look very nice with good orange color.  The fruit has sized and will upcoming Calif rains will continue so.  As a result, small fruit is very tight 113/138.  We are seeing the market there move up as a result.  Quality is good to excellent though you may see some puffballs on larger sizes 48/56’s (packing out about 70% fancy).  Choice fruit is hard to keep on the floor with strong demand.  TX is gearing up for some chilly weather (high 20 to low 30’s expected off and on for the next week)… this will slow harvest and could cause some gaps in availability for loading out.   Florida is still going with juice oranges, not a pretty as you get out of Calif, but they eat great and they do have a little better supplies of small fruit.   Call your favorite Amerifresh representative and get details.


Pears

Pears
steady

All varieties of pears are available. Small pears are extremely tight. Pricing continues to be very strong. Quality is good.


Pineapples

Pineapples
steady

Movement expected about the same. Trading 8s very slow, others fairly slow. Prices are lower. Quality is variable.


Specialty Citrus

Specialty Citrus
steady

Mandarin/ Clementines are in full swing harvesting from the desert up through central Calif.  Fruit is looking and eating great.  Sizing is peaking 32/36/28; the market is steady with good demand.  Pummelos/Oro Blanco (Sweeties) look good with nice sizing 10/12/8’s with a very nice color.  Desert and Central Calif have Minneola supplies are size is on the larger side.  Grapefruit going again out of the desert with very light supplies. On the TX front like for their oranges bracing for chill which will slow supplies.  That being said the Calif Grapefruit market will strengthen.


Stone Fruit

Stone Fruit
steady

We continue to have Arils (pomegranate seeds) now processing from Peruvian products– all packs available.   Asian Pears are available with both Yellow and Brown skin varieties and expect to continue with this fruit into early spring.   Imported Peach/ Plums/ Nectarines are now available mostly in tray packs with strong market and light supplies.


Watermelon

Watermelon
steady

Movement expected to increase slightly. Trading early moderate, late fairly slow. Quality is variable.