News and Stories

Markon First Crop (MFC) Strawberries are available. The Salinas/Watsonville growing region experienced higher-than-normal temperatures this past weekend. Coastal areas where MFC Strawberries are being packed only reached the upper 70s, so quality remains high, however temperatures are higher in the inland areas (low to mid-80s). This raises concerns for quality and shelf-life in the coming weeks. Quality has been at its peak for the past month, but the industry expects a wide range of quality following this weekend’s heat wave.

• MFC Strawberries are available
• The weather has been favorable for the past several weeks, but warmer-than-normal temperatures will decrease quality and shelf-life in the weeks to come
• Crews will begin harvesting as early as 6:00 a.m. to have orders packed and in the cooler before it gets too hot
• Today’s quality reports are very good, but potential problems that could develop in the coming days include:
• Bleeding
• Bruising
• Over ripeness
• Shortened shelf-life
• Soft texture
• Size will decrease as fewer plants are producing large berries
• Warm weather leads to faster ripening times, preventing berries from growing in size before harvests
• Counts will average 18 to 21 berries per 1-pound clamshell
• Despite smaller size, flavor is at its peak; fruit is sweet and juicy
• Expect prices to ease this week
• Supplies are abundant
• It’s a great time to promote MFC Strawberries
• Temperatures are forecast above seasonal norms for the rest of June; expect low prices and ample supplies through Independence Day (Monday, July 4)

Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.

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