News and Stories

Wet weather patterns forecast for Southern California will further tighten West Coast strawberry supplies this week. Cold weather and rain have put the market into a demand-exceeds-supply situation. Rain and freezing temperatures have stalled plant and berry growth. Mexican-sourced strawberries are being shipped into California to help fill orders for members who must load in California. Availability is better in Florida and Mexico (into South Texas).

Oxnard, California 

• Markon First Crop and Markon Best Available Strawberries are not available; packer label supplies in one-pound clamshells are being substituted
• Most suppliers packed product ahead of schedule to ensure early week orders are covered
• Crews are harvesting as much as possible this week, depending on when and how much rain arrives
• Current quality is good, but will be heavily impacted by the wet weather conditions
• Bleeding, minor bruising, uneven size/shape, white shoulders, and wind damage are problems
• Supplies are dominated by small- and medium-size berries; counts range from 23 to 30 berries per 1-pound clamshell
• Decay and water damage will become issues following the rain; Markon recommends ordering for quick turns and loading FOB
• Loading delays can be expected throughout the week
• Some suppliers will bring Mexican product into California to help fill orders this week
• The market is slightly higher than last week; expect tight stocks and elevated prices through January

Mexico (into South Texas)

• Growers in Mexico are harvesting two to three times as many cases per day than California growers
• Strong East Coast demand is keeping volume low and prices firm
• Weather has been favorable; fruit shipments have been crossing daily
• Quality is good
• Texture is firm
• Size is slightly smaller than in Oxnard
• Counts range from 25 to 30 berries per 1-pound clamshell
• Most suppliers will only ship half or full pallet quantities of 1-pound clamshells (108 cases per pallet); no 4-pound packs are available at this time
• The market is steady to slightly higher than last week

Florida

• Growers continue to be challenged by bruising and small size due to above-average temperatures
• Shelf-life is a concern; many growers are only shipping on the East Coast
• Problems include bleeding, bruising, decay, odd shape, overripe fruit, and small size
• The crop is dominated by small to medium sizes
• Counts average 26 to 36 berries per 1-pound clamshell with a few lots as high as 50
• Expect volume to increase and quality to improve through January; cooler temperatures are in the forecast
• The market is slightly higher than last week
  

Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.

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