The Source - March 17, 2016

Washington - red delicious are steady but firm on all sizes and grades. The lower grade reds remain limited and most suppliers are having to sub up to cover orders. Most shippers are still peaking on 72/80/88 reds. Golden delicious are steady on all sizes and grades. Goldens continue to peak on Wash-Extra 100/113s and most suppliers don't have much larger than an 88-size. Granny-smith are steady on all sizes and are still peaking on 88-113s. Most suppliers still don't have much larger than an 88 or smaller than a 125. Galas are steady on all sizes and grades but the market has been slowly rising. Most Gala suppliers still don't have much fruit larger than an 88. Fujis are steady on all sizes but could climb due to lighter eastern volume. Washington Fujis continue to peak on extra-fancy 80-100's. Honeycrisp are mostly steady and the market remains high and strong due to very light supplies. Jonagolds are still available but supplies are limited. The quality for all varieties has been good.
Michigan - Red delicious are steady to lower on 100s and larger and they are steady on the smaller sizes. Reds continue to peak on 80/88s. McIntosh are steady and are still heavier to 125/138s but supplies are light. Galas are steady on all sizes but supplies are light. Golden delicious are steady but strong due to light supplies and they are still peaking on 125/138s. Jonathans are steady on all sizes and they are still peaking on 150/138/125s but supplies are light. Fujis are being quoted steady but supplies are light and some shippers are finishing up. Red Romes are steady on all sizes.
New York - Red delicious, Red Romes, Empires, and Galas are all steady. Gala supplies are light and the market is firm. Some shippers will flex for volume orders of Red Romes. Empire volume is hit and miss but there are occasional deals. The quality has been good on all varieties.

Well the current asparagus market tried to take off but much to the shippers dismay, prices are leveling off. Quality is still really nice with dark green color and little spreading of the tips. California Asparagus is available also. All sizes are available as well.

California growers are harvesting some light, but useable volume. Volume will build through March. The overall crop estimated has been reduced based on the fruit not sizing due to the lack of water. It now looks like California may have a higher than normal percentage of smaller fruit.

Volume from Mexico this week is steady and supplies remain good crossing into the US. Next week expect volumes to dip down with the limited Easter holiday work week schedules in Mexico. The size curve continues to be an issue with larger fruit being plentiful, and smaller fruit at a relative premium.

Green bell pepper continue to be somewhat limited. Product is mostly large with very few number two product being offered.

Red pepper is very good Quality with mostly number one product being offered in both the blocky and elongated variety.
product being offered in 25,15 and 11lb units.

Yellow pepper in both variety and all pack styles.Both red and yellow have been fighting for color due to cold weather in the growing region.

Rain, wind and thunderstorms affected production in Central Mexico last week. Damaging hail was also reported at some ranches. This is a big concern for un-hooped acreage as it will cause significant setbacks, some estimates have dropped by 50%. Now, cold weather hit over the past weekend and snow fell in some of the higher elevations. Supply will be tight for the next 2-3 weeks. As far as quality, watch for broken fruit, red cell and soft berries.

Alerts:
Inclement weather in Central Mexico over the previous week has disrupted production and decreased harvest volumes. Supplies will remain short for at least the next 2-3 weeks.

Blueberry production is rapidly winding down out of Chile for the season. Central Mexico and Baja are still in steady production and FL and CA are beginning to produce on a small scale. Supplies will be short over the next 2-3 weeks at least and markets will get stronger. Demand is already strengthening as availability has tightened up.

Alerts:
Supplies will be tight for the next 2-3 weeks as Chilean production comes to a close for the season and Mexico and domestic product will not cover all demand.

Quality has improved over recent weeks and production forecasts are showing a steady increase in volume through March. Some colder weather in Central Mexico may have slowed this down slightly over the previous weekend.

Demand has increased for fresh strawberries as the Easter strawberry promotions are already underway. Market has strengthened some from the beginning of the week. We've had good availability from Oxnard and Santa Maria this week. Some quality issues still remain in the packs after recent rains - white shoulders, soft, occasional bruising, bronze, brown calyx, white tips, etc., but is improving with the favorable weather and temperatures this week. Sizing is mostly in the mid-upper teens. Central Mexico is struggling with availability after weather over the previous week. Many shippers have already ended their Mexican import program for the season. FL is still producing steadily and several shippers will try to continue their programs into April, others will end after Easter pull is over. Demand for CA strawberries will continue to increase as MX and FL programs wind down for the season.

Transitions:
Salinas and Watsonville regions will be increasing in production in April and should be in full swing by May.

Yuma looks to be finishing up within the next couple of weeks. This is causing some shipper to shipper business. The market is reacting and looks to be that way all week. Quality is still good with tight beads and vibrant green color. Prices will vary upon shipping location, so if you have opportunities to load in other growing regions besides Yuma that would give you a price advantage.

Alerts:
Some suppliers are finishing their season in Yuma causing this market to spike.

There is a major shortage of Brussel Sprouts mainly due to the previous hot weather in Mexico. This brought on early supplies and fields bunched up together. We are now experiencing the supply gap from that time frame. And the existing hot weather is effecting growth as well. This will last for the next couple of weeks. Quality is still good with minimal black leaves upon arrival.

Alerts:
Extremely Limited Supplies and Active Market

Size is coming back very slowly on the crop coming out of the Coachella and Imperial Valleys of California. Carrots are still small, and yields are showing some improvement, but not what was hoped for on Jumbo size carrots. Jumbo size still very tight, and still looks like a few weeks for improvement of size to come. Supplies of medium size and baby peeled carrots are is good.

Supplies are the main driver here and prices are reacting. Some suppliers are finished for the season in Yuma. So suppliers are having to buy from other shippers to keep orders in Yuma. This is causing a dramatic increase in the market. Quality is very nice with white curds.

Alerts:
Cauliflower Supplies out of Yuma are finishing and causing a major spike in the market

This market is steady, overall. Oxnard and Yuma as well as Florida are the current loading locations. Moderate to good supplies continue. All sizing is available. There is no rain in the forecast for California or Yuma for the rest of the week. The quality continues to be strong in all the growing regions. Suppliers are competitive in pricing, and this looks to continue throughout the week.

The cilantro market is steady with good supplies from all growing regions. Minimal dehydration and yellowing of leaves upon arrival. The market and supplies will remain steady for the week.

The central valley and the Ventura crops are going and both are peaking on 140s and smaller size fruit. Larger sized fruit is tight and strong demand for 165s has them cleaning up daily. Demand remains very strong.

The lime market is steady on all sizes. Demand is good on all sizes across the board. The peak sizes are 110's and 150's currently with fewer small sized limes being harvested. This is the time of year where overall supplies are low and will remain at lower levels until the first or second week of May. The overall long term upward market trend will likely continue with the lower supplies through to first part of May. Quality is excellent overall.

Good picking this week, and bin inventory is building. Eating excellent and look beautiful, with peak sizing on 72s/56s/88s/113s. We have seen fruit size up with the rains, but some growers have hit some groves with a higher percentage of smaller fruit. Demand has back off on 113s/138s with schools going into spring and Easter breaks.

Very short supply currently due to transition from Culiacan to southern Sonora, Condition and quality are fair with all sizes available in Bushel boxes ( Selects ,Supers and Smalls) and cartons are available in all sizes 24,36,42.Improved supply expected soon.

Supply continues to lighten with a high range in Quality, Many number two product is being offered with scarring and misshapen.

Green grapes continue to be in good supplies. Quality has been reported as good on both East and West Coasts. Not much change since the initial drop in price in the beginning of the week. I expect supplies to continue to be strong through the weekend and into early next week. With the arrival of more fruit this weekend, I would anticipate a little more flex on price come Monday.

Red grape arrivals this week continue to be delayed. Availability on the front part of the week was limited due to late arrivals and today we had the same issues. As vessels continue to arrive through the weekend, availability will increase toward the beginning of next week. Quality on the Crimsons has been strong. Markets have remained firm all this week. However, with better availability, I expect to see a very slight decrease next week. Again, depending on arrivals.

Green onions are in steady supplies to finish the week. But a volatile market is looming with the Easter Holiday approaching.The market is currently at normal levels but look for that to change as we get closer to the holiday. Quality issues still exist with yellowing of the tops and some brown discoloration as well.

Kale supplies continue to be plentiful and thus keeping the market steady. Excellent quality with dark green color and little dehydration.

The quality on this commodity has issues. Mechanical damage, misshapen heads and insect damage will be common defects. This is directly caused from past and current high temperatures in Yuma. The season in the desert is nearing the end. The weights on wrap are averaging 39-45 pounds pending on the shipper. The market is going up. Production in Huron is expected to begin next week. Production in Salinas will begin with a few shippers the first week in April.

Supplies are steady in all the growing areas. The market is slightly higher, however. Warm temperatures are a constant. Slight ribbing, dehydration, tip burn and insect damage are common defects currently seen with all leaf items. Pricing continues to be competitive with most suppliers. Light supplies are coming out of Huron and by next week you will see greater availability from this region. The weights are averaging 32-36 pounds on romaine while red and green leaf are averaging 21-24 pounds. There is production in Oxnard if desired. Salinas will have production the first to second week in April.

Cantaloupe supplies are returning to more normal levels. A port strike last week in the growing areas created a temporary supply gap which should fill in this weekend. The quality is good overall with some lots being exceptionally nice. The peak size is currently 9ct. The current market is steady to slightly higher on all sizes due to the lighter supplies. There are 15ct lopes being packed now and virtually zero 18ct coming over.

Demand continues to be low on honeydews right now. The peak size for the offshore is 6ct and the small amount of Mexican dews are peaking on 6ct. The small sizes are available now. Honduran and Guatemalan grown honeydews are really good. Mexican dews continue to ship out of Nogales AZ and the volume is light. The Mexican dews are also very nice. The market is steady across the board.

Weather has limited supply and product is transitioning from Jalisco/Colima to Sonora Mexico. Quality is only fair on the limited offering Personal watermelon are still being offered in all sizes. Availability should improve as we move forward into the spring season.

Demand is moderated out of all shipping areas which has the markets steady on all colors and sizes. I don't see any drastic price changes in the near future. Northwest Storage supplies will finish up the middle to end of April with a few shippers going into May. Texas has started packing 1015 sweets carton with limited supplies. Mexico has starting to cross limited numbers of Yellow onions as they dry up from the rain last week. Looks for the Mexican supplies to tighten up as we get closer to Easter holiday. Quality is being reported as good out of all areas.

Washington - D'anjou pears are steady on all sizes and continue to peak on US#1 70/80s. US#1 110-count and smaller remain short along with all sizes of the fancy grade. Bosc pears are steady and continue to peak on US#1 90/100/110s and they have better availability of the smaller sizes. All sizes of fancy grade Bosc remain short. Red pears are steady on all sizes and they are peaking on half carton 45/50s and full carton 90/100s, but supplies are light. The quality on domestic D'anjous, Bosc, and red pears has been good.
Chile - Bartlett pears are finished coming in but we still have mostly 120/135s left in inventory. Packhams are steady and continue to produce US#1 80/90/100s. Argentinian Bartletts are steady and are peaking US#1 100/110s but only 100-size and larger are being quoted until the Chilean fruit cleans up. The quality on all of the imported varieties ahs been good.

Easter demand begins this week and pineapple supplies remain light, but steady. Expect fruit to tighten up this week and next.

Demand on russet potatoes remains steady on most sizes and packs out of all growing areas. Quality is being reported as good. As supplies of Norkotah potatoes slowly finish up for the season out of Idaho, larger cartons will tightening up as the storage Burbank's are peaking on 70 count and smaller. Look for the market to firm slightly on the larger cartons, with the smaller cartons staying steady through the balance of this month. Supplies of storage potatoes look to be ample with no concerns of a gap before the new crop russet potato start in August.

Bakersfield, California - reds and golds are steady to slightly higher and they continue to peak on A-size. Whites are finished until late March/early April and new-crop reds and golds will start approximately one week later. The red quality has ranged from good to fair while the gold quality has been good.
Western Washington - The remaining reds and golds are steady for now and both continue to peak on A size, however both are in few hands as we approach the end of the season. The quality has ranged from fair to good on both colors.
Idaho - reds and golds are steady to higher and the supplies remain light. Both colors continue to peak on A-size. The quality has been good. One Idaho supplier will pack through march and the other two will go through April.
Wisconsin - reds and golds are both slightly higher and they continue to peak on A-size. Shippers here are still buying bulk from N.D. and repacking. The quality has been fair to good.
North Dakota - Reds and gold's are higher and the market remains firm on all sizes due to light supplies. Some suppliers have finished with gold's for the season. Both colors are peaking on size A. The quality has been good.
S. Florida - reds and gold's are slightly higher and both markets are firm due to light supplies. Whites are slightly higher as well but most packers are out of A size and B size. Poor yields are keeping the Florida market up on all colors. Both reds and golds are peaking on A-size while the whites are heavier to B's.

Hard Squash is all available with supply dropping slightly.Many suppliers are winding down and the crop will continue to lighten in supply.Spaghetti, Butternut, Acorn and Kabocha.

Italian continues to have good supply and quality, Yellow straight neck is very limited wit higher pricing, fair Quality and limited supply.

No major changes to report with Stone Fruit. Availability has been consistent on large sizes. Prices have come down again mid week on all tray pack big fruit. Volume fill and smaller size fruit is still limited in supplies and prices have remained firm. Quality is being reported as good. Next week looks to be the same.

Rounds - The market is steady / higher. Supplies continue to be lighter. XL size(s) are stonger, while the larger size(s) are steady. Production and supplies looking to be lighter, due to Easter holiday. Mexico also looking to be lighter as well, as supplies are trying to catch up from the slight gap. Quality is Good / Fair.
Roma - The market is higher. Supplies looking lighter this week, and should continue to be light. Mexico is also lighter due to the slight gap. Weather forecast calling for normal temps out west, which should help supplies. Demand stronger in all areas. Quality is Good / Fair.
Cherry - The market is Steady. Florida looking a bit better on the supply side. Mexico looking to be a little lighter, however. Market seems to be split with East coast coming into a bit more supplies, but West coast a bit lighter. Quality is Good / Fair.
Grape - The market is higher. Supplies are lighter in Florida as well as Mexico. Demand is on the rise, along with FOB's. Look for lighter supplies to continue through Easter. Quality is Good / Fair.

Rounds - The market is steady / higher. Production and yields looking lighter out of Mexico. Demand is consistent in all areas. Back east, supplies continue to be lighter until end of March / April. Look for supplies to continue to be lighter through Easter holiday. Quality is Good / Fair.
Roma - The market is higher. Production and yields in Mexico are lighter this week, due to the gap. Back east, supplies continue to be lighter, and should continue. Demand is stronger in all areas, and should continue through Easter. Quality is Good / Fair.
Cherry - The market is Steady. Supplies continue to be lighter than normal.
Back east, supplies looking a bit better, however, with Mexico lighter the market looks to be split. Quality is Good / Fair.
Grape - The market is higher. Supplies look to be much lighter this week. Market is rising in all areas in the East and West. Look for the market to continue to be strong, wth higher FOB's. Quality is Good / Fair.