News and Stories

Many commodity markets continue to rise on the West Coast as harvesting winds down in California’s Salinas Valley; prices are expected to remain elevated for the next several weeks due to low yields and quality issues. Rain in the Santa Maria, California growing region has affected strawberry supplies and quality; demand exceeds supply, pushing up markets.

Idaho Potatoes

• Large sizes (40- through 70-count supplies) dominate the crop; small sizes (90- through 100-count stocks) remain limited due to the crop’s large size profile
• Thanksgiving demand will strengthen this week
• Carton prices are expected to decrease as raw product will be needed to run orders for retail bags; expect a supply exceeds demand situation for foodservice potatoes

Green Leaf, Iceberg, and Romaine

• Prices for commodity green leaf, iceberg, and romaine continue to rise as supplies are very tight during the transitional period from the Salinas Valley growing region to the Arizona/California desert
• Hot weather and heavy rains during plantings in Yuma, Arizona have caused internal burn, light carton weights, ribby texture, seeder, and small size resulting in tight supplies and low yields at the start of the season
• Markon First Crop (MFC) Premium Iceberg Lettuce is not available; Markon Best Available (MBA) is being substituted
• MFC Green Leaf and Romaine are sporadic; MBA will be substituted as necessary 
• Expect tight supplies and elevated markets for the next several weeks 

Melons

• The first shipments of offshore cantaloupes and honeydews from Guatemala are available in Florida; supplies will be on the West Coast market by early December
• Domestic production will end in the Arizona/California desert over the next two to three weeks
• Prices are rising, especially for small-size fruit (15- and 18-count cantaloupes as well as 8- and 9-count honeydews)
• MFC Cantaloupe and Honeydew availability is very sporadic; packer label supplies are available
• Expect higher prices during the winter season (mid-November through early April) due to fewer overall stocks

 Onions

• MFC Onions from Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, Utah, and Washington are readily available
• All onions are being shipped out of storage
• Markon anticipates relatively steady prices for yellow and white onions through the holiday seasons
• The red onion market will increase over the next several weeks as yields are down due to elevated temperatures during the growing season

 Rising West Coast Prices

• West Coast broccoli supplies remain tight in Salinas and Santa Maria, California
• Mexican stocks (into South Texas) are adequate; prices are lower, but should rise when stronger demand cleans excess inventory
• Demand is expected to increase; the market will climb
• The cauliflower market is rising
• Supplies will remain very tight through next week; all sizes are limited
• Cold weather and rain are limiting growth and slowing production
• Celery prices are elevated; supplies are tight even though growers are harvesting in Oxnard, Salinas, and Santa Maria
• Summer’s hot weather has resulted in the current quality issues and low yields
• Expect elevated markets for the next three weeks

 Ready-Set-Serve (RSS) Cauliflower Floret Trigger Levels

• Supplies will remain very tight through next week; all sizes are limited
• Open-market cauliflower prices have reached first-tier contract trigger levels effective Wednesday, November 11
• Cold weather and rain are limiting growth and slowing production

 RSS Celery Trigger Levels

• Supplies are tight and demand is strong for Thanksgiving
• The market reached first-level triggers for all RSS Celery items effective Monday, November 9
• Hot weather during the Oxnard and Salinas seasons has caused some quality issues, diminishing supplies and lowering yields; light pith and insect damage are current quality issues
• Expect strong markets to persist for the next 10 to 12 days

 Strawberries

• Demand far exceeds supply; prices continue to rise
• MFC Strawberries are not available; MBA Strawberries in one-pound clamshells and/or packer label supplies are being substituted due to poor quality and extremely tight stocks
• Production will continue to decline following the rain; expect extremely limited supplies this week

Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.

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