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 in early to mid-May. West Coast harvesting will start the first week of April and continue through October.

Cucumbers

• Markon First Crop (MFC) Cucumbers are available in Florida and Mexico (into Nogales, Arizona and South Texas)
• New crop Florida supplies will ramp up the first week of April
• Supplies will be below seasonal averages due to torrential rains throughout February
• Expect active markets as offshore supplies transition to domestic stocks
• Central Mexican growing regions will wind down by mid-April as growers move to northern regions
• Harvesting in Baja, Mexico (into San Diego) will ramp up by early April
• Warm weather throughout February has pushed fields ahead of normal schedules

Green Bell Peppers

• MFC Green Bell Peppers are available in Florida and Mexico (into Nogales and South Texas)
• Mexican supplies will be on the market through the end of April
• The Coachella, California season begins the week of April 4 and will reach full production by April 11
• Warm temperatures in February have pushed harvesting schedules forward by 10 to 14 days
• West Coast production will overlap between Mexican supplies and new crop harvesting in Coachella (as growers transition between regions); prices will remain firm for the next two weeks
• East Coast production will continue in South Florida through April before growers transition north to Georgia in early May; expect steady prices over the next two weeks

Red Bell Peppers

• Mexican-grown MFC Red Bell Peppers are available in Nogales and South Texas
• Mexican supplies will remain on the market through mid to mid-May
• California stocks will be available in the Coachella Valley by early-May; expect high prices until volume increases

Yellow Squash and Zucchini

• Harvesting in Western Mexico will taper off through late April; spring crops in Northern Mexico will continue to produce into May
• California supplies will be available by the first week of May; harvesting will start in California’s Central Coast and Fresno areas by May 1
• Florida production is limited; harvesting will begin in Georgia in mid-May   
• Prices may increase as these transitions approach

Other commodities

• California corn harvests will begin by mid-April; supplies will reach normal levels by May
• Florida corn stocks are limited
• Georgia eggplant will be on the market by mid-May; Coachella supplies will be available in two to three weeks

Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.

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