News and Stories

Bell pepper, cucumber, and squash production will move north on both coasts over the next four to six weeks. Transitions from Florida to Georgia will start later this month. West Coast harvesting in Baja, Mexico and California has started and will continue through October. Overall reports indicate a smooth transition with sufficient stocks.

Cucumbers

• Quality is very good on both coasts; prices are low and supplies are adequate
• Production will continue through May in Florida and Mexico
• Harvesting will start in Georgia by mid-May
• Early season stocks from Baja, Mexico (into San Diego, California) are available
• Cucumbers will be harvested throughout the summer in Eastern Mexico (into South Texas)

Green Bell Peppers

• Markon First Crop (MFC) Green Bell Peppers are available in California, Florida, and Mexico (into Nogales, Arizona and South Texas)
• Supplies will be limited in Florida for the next three to four weeks (until harvesting starts in Georgia in mid-May)
• Mexican stocks (into Nogales and South Texas) are limited, but will remain available through April
• Production has begun in Coachella, California; supplies are ample
• Growers will harvest South Texas summer supplies from Eastern Mexico

Red Bell Peppers

• Mexican-grown MFC Red Bell Peppers are available in Nogales, Arizona and South Texas; stocks are declining
• California supplies will be available in the Coachella Valley by mid-May; expect high prices until supplies increase
• Baja stocks (into San Diego) are also available and will help prevent a supply gap between the seasons in mainland Mexico (into Nogales) and Coachella

Yellow Squash and Zucchini

• Florida production is limited, but harvesting will begin in Georgia in two to three weeks   
• Spring crops in Northern Mexico will continue to produce into May; harvesting will start in California’s Central Coast and Fresno areas by May 1
• Prices are low, but may increase as these transitions approach
• Texas-grown stocks will be available by May 1

Other commodities

• Overall chile pepper supplies are sufficient; limited quantities are being harvested in Baja
• Corn is available in California and Florida
• Supplies will increase over the next two weeks
• Texas stocks will become available by May 1
• Georgia eggplant will be on the market by mid-May; Coachella supplies will be available in one to two weeks
• The green bean seasons in Florida and Mexico will end in two to three weeks; Coachella growers have started limited production
• Expect elevated prices until growers in California and Georgia start harvesting in May
• Texas will also have locally grown beans by May 1
• Hard squash production will transition to California’s San Joaquin Valley in June

Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.

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