West Coast

APPLES/PEARS
Eastern markets are steady due to lighter demand but many shippers will try to push prices up this month to cover storage costs.    Washington Reds are still mostly in the 88 & 100 size range with higher color.  Lower grade reds remain fairly limited. Golden Delicious is also peaking in the 88 & 100 size-range and the higher grades. Lower grade golden have been limited this season.  Granny-Smith is predominantly in the 88 & 100 count range as well and is also heavy to the higher grades.  Galas are still producing mostly 88’s and smaller and heavier to the extra-fancy grades.  Gala demand remains strong. Washington Honey Crisp is peaking on 88/100’s but the availability is low.  Most shippers will finish packing Honey-crisps relatively soon.  Cameos, Pink Lady’s, Jonagolds, Fuji’s, Braeburns and the other varietals are all still available.  Washington Bartletts are heavy to the US#1 grade and are peaking on 100’s and smaller but the availability is really light. D ‘Anjou pears are also peaking on the US#1 grade and are evenly spread across the size spectrum.  Washington Bosc pears are peaking on 100/110’s and smaller and the availability is really good.  Red D’Anjou and Stark Crimson red pears are also still available.

ASPARAGUS
This market is steady to start the week. Supplies out of Mexico are very good on small, standard, and large sizing. Offers are being made. Peruvian product continues to have extra large and jumbos available if needed. The Peruvian product loads in Florida and LA.

AVOCADO
Mexican harvest volume is declining as the major pull for the Super Bowl is completed. Volume will adjust to steady demand. New crop California fruit harvest has begun with light numbers. Chile’s volume is steady. Expect steady markets going forward.

BELL PEPPERS
Markets very unsettled. Bell pepper (green) production is improving.  Supplies more than adequate on smaller/choice fruit with lighter supplies on big fruit. Colored bell pricing are definitely on an upwards trend as demand picks up supplies getting lighter, expecting slight interruption on harvesting due to anticipated rain, markets are very active.

BERRIES
Strawberries: We are in a demand exceeds situation with the Valentine’s Day pull in full swing the start of this week. Demand should start to back off as we get into the weekend. Florida strawberries growers are currently getting rain which will hurt harvest and quality as this week moves on. California has rain in the forecast starting Tuesday which will hurt harvest numbers and quality as this week moves on. Market is firm.  Raspberries: Market is slightly firmer with good quality fruit shipping out of all areas. Blackberries:  The market is slightly firmer with good to fair quality being shipped currently.  Blueberries:  The market is slightly firmer the start of this week. Chile has peaked and numbers are slowing starting to wind down. Pack sizes are switch back to 6oz and smaller. Quality is being reported as good.

BROCCOLI
Supplies continue to be strong on bunched product as well as crowns, and suppliers are looking to move volume at discounted pricing.  Ideal weather in the growing regions has increased supplies. Availability will be strong throughout the week. There continues to be supplies available in Scottsdale as well.

CARROTS
California carrot supplies remain good, but with the cooler winter weather growth is slowing sizing and volumes on the jumbo size carrots are beginning to lighten and market is firming

CAULIFLOWER
This market is steady to start the week. Due to a lack of demand, suppliers have backed up their inventories and are looking to move volume. Growers are continuing to deal with some sporadic brown spotting. The overall quality has picked up compared to the previous week.   

CELERY
This market continues to be steady. All sizes are available and in good supplies. Santa Maria as well as Oxnard and Yuma are the main areas of production on this commodity.  The quality is good with no major issues to report at this time.  The variance in pricing has become less with all suppliers. Pricing is competitive.

CITRUS
Lemons:  Desert crop is about done; their season is projected to end mid February. Central Valley crop is harvesting and the Ventura crop harvest is slow as growers are letting fruit gain size.
Oranges: The Navels are in full production and supplies are good. Quality looks very nice and fruit is now full natural color. Pack outs are running heavy to fancy grades.
Limes:  Supplies are lighter and somewhat limited due to rains in the growing areas. Market has made a jump upward.

CUCUMBERS
Market is edging up; supplies are expected to lighten up this week as some are gapping between ranches.

EGGPLANT
Supplies are stable this week. Market is steady.

GRAPES
Chilean fruit is coming in to both coasts with good quality.  The growing areas are moving from the Northern to the Southern region where the fruit is better quality and size. The market continues to be very soft as there is plenty of fruit with little demand.

GREEN ONIONS
This market is softer compared to last week. Better supplies coming out of Mexico has allowed shippers to lower pricing compared to previous past weeks. The quality continues to have a few issues with decay upon arrival. Pencil sizing will have the best availability. Supplies are expected to be good for the rest of the week.

LEAF LETTUCE
The romaine market continues on a steady course. Blister and peel continues to exist but the severity is not as great compared to past weeks.  Demand continues to be light. The market is steady as well on green leaf and red leaf.  The main growing area is in Yuma. The Thermal area has picked up in production numbers. Supplies out of Santa Maria are light in availability.

LETTUCE
The lettuce market is steady. Supplies are good with most suppliers. Epidermal peel and blister continues to be seen upon arrivals, but the frequency is less.  Lettuce carton weights are averaging 44-48 #s, with some suppliers hitting 50 #s. The availability is good and demand is light. Shippers are listening to offers so promote this commodity.

MELONS:
Cantaloupe: Demand continues to exceed supplies.  Offshore fruit is extremely limited.  With fewer vessels coming in they are still selling out the week prior to arrival.  Product will continue to be limited at the very least through next week.  Quality is very good and the market is steady.
Honeydew: Demand exceeds supplies.  Offshore fruit is more limited on dews then Cantaloupe.  Mexican fruit is still extremely limited also. Very good quality and mostly 6’s available for what little fruit is out there.  Quality is good.  Fruit continues to sell out before it comes into port or crosses the border.

ONIONS
Northwest yellows and reds are steady to lower with good supplies available.  Demand has been light.  Mexican sweets and sack medium & jumbo yellows are steady and their demand has also been light.  Yellow quality has been excellent in the northwest and fair to good in Texas. White supplies are fairly limited in the northwest but remain steady along with the market.  Mexico has crossed a few whites but no substantial quantities yet.

POTATOES
The Idaho market is essentially unchanged on both varieties and all sizes.  Norkotahs are still limited since more packers are running Burbanks.  The norkotah size range is still 70’s through 100’s while Burbanks are still peaking on 80’s and then 70’s. The Potato lover’s month promotion is going in Idaho and typically causes carton inventories to build since it’s a retail promo. but it hasn’t had much effect yet.  Washington potatoes are steady on all sizes. They continue to peak on 60/70’s.  Colorado is also steady and they are peaking on 40-70’s.   The russet quality has been excellent in all growing areas.  Bakersfield, California is still packing reds, golds, and whites and pricing is steady.  The availability is good on all colors.  Washington & North Dakota continue packing reds and golds and both areas are heavier to A-size.  Gold supplies are limited in both areas though as we approach the end of the storage season.  Wisconsin is also packing reds, whites, and golds and their market is also flat. Whites and golds are limited in Wisconsin as well.  Idaho is still packing reds and golds and they are also peaking on A-size.  Quality has been fair to excellent Idaho.  Florida will start packing reds in a light way in February.

SQUASH
Markets are slightly unsettled.  Supplies are more than adequate.

STONE FRUIT
Chilean fruit is available with better supplies west and east coast on nectarines, peaches, plums and cherries.  There will be good promotable supplies of nectarines and plums in February and March.

TOMATOES
With so many tomatoes having been planted in the Mexican interior for the winter 2012 season, it was only a matter of time before there would be a glut of product, and we have seen that situation manifest itself over the last 2-3 weeks.  Compounding the situation has been sluggish post-holiday movement of tomatoes, even with warmer weather over most of the country.  But as soon as Eastern supplies dwindle a bit more, we could have prices bounce a little off the floor prices set by the U.S. Department of Commerce Suspension Agreement.

WATERMELON
Markets steady, supplies are lightening up.  Current availability on Seedless watermelons is heavier towards 4ct as most are now receiving from Jalisco. We are anticipating a lightening up of supplies the next couple of weeks. Seeded watermelon will be available in light supplies as Jalisco gears up.

East Coast

Blueberries
Stable through the weekend, quality has been good thus this week.

Cabbage
More shippers starting with cabbage over the past week. Cabbage has been very good and weI do not look for any gaps in production or shortages at this time.

Citrus
125ct oranges continue to be a tight commodity because of the demand from juice plants that still exists.  It looks as if this trend will continue for at least sometime or until the problem in Brazil is resolved.   Tangerines have become more plentiful and naturally decreased in price.  Grapefruit seem to be holding steady.  Quality on all citrus being shipped seems to be good at this time.  Please continue placing orange orders with as much advanced notice as possible.

Corn
Corn market have continued to rise since the cold weather from couple weeks ago.  There was more damage than first expected.  This is another issue that will not get any easier in the coming days. 

Cucumbers
Markets have started to slip over the past few days with emeregence of more Western cukes coming across in Nogales and In Mcallen.  Quality continues to be very good, and price should stabilize or possibly decrease a tad more over the next week or so.

Eggplant
look for eggplant market to remain stable over the 4-5 days.  Quality has been sufficient.

Peppers
Pepper market has tanked out west and decreased drastically over the last 5 days out of Florida as well.  Pepper seems to be really good at moment.   Do not see any increases in markets for the next 5 days or so.  Rain could be an issue towards the end of the week/weekend.

Squash
Supplies in Florida are much better now after several days of warm temperatures.  With the pipelines replenished prices have been steadily dropping.  The downward trend should continue for another day or so, but steady out by the weekend.

Strawberries
Due to the expected rains forecasted for much of the state of Florida this weekend, the strawberry market has gotten much cheaper than what we saw last week.  expect this continue through the weekend.  Anything further into next week will depend on just how much rain they get Fri/Sat.

Tomatoes
Since there is not a Government-mandated floor price for tomatoes in Florida, a good number of tomato wholesalers east of the Mississippi River have continued to take Florida product when in normal years they would have already switched to Mexico.  But prices are at a 2-year low, and it is only a matter of time before Florida stops picking & packing at a loss, on-hand supplies dry up and the market reacts.