News and Stories

Apples

• Storage supplies of Markon First Crop (MFC) Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, and Red Delicious Apples from Washington remain available
• Size profile is large, dominated by 80- through 100-count sizes; small sizes (113- to 138-count fruit) are tighter
• Storage crop quality is good
• FOB prices for large sizes will be low due to their abundance; small sizes will be more expensive

Bell Peppers, Cucumbers, and Squash

• Growers are transitioning north over the next several weeks
• Quality in the new crop regions is ideal
• Prices will inch up as current seasons finish and new production begins

Celery

• MFC Celery is available in Oxnard and Salinas, California
• Supplies remain limited due to erratic weather conditions over the past several months
• Quality issues in California include elevated levels of seeder and pith
• Prices are rising; value-added triggers will be met by next week

Demand Far Exceeds Supply

• Broccoli, cauliflower, celery, green leaf, iceberg, and romaine prices continue to escalate
• Warm weather in the desert growing region caused fields to mature ahead of schedule; harvests will finish approximately two weeks earlier than planned
• Cool, rainy conditions in the Salinas Valley delayed maturity; harvests are approximately two weeks behind schedule
• The above conditions will result in at least a four-week time period of very limited stocks with most suppliers struggling to cover their contract commitments

Idaho Potatoes

• MFC Idaho Burbank and Norkotah Potatoes are available
• Norkotah stocks are diminishing and will be depleted by late April/early May
• Quality is good; pressure bruising and hollow heart are sporadic issues
• Norkotah pricing is now comparable to the Burbank variety; both markets are inching up

Onions

• MFC Red and Yellow Onions will be available in Idaho and Oregon through late April; MFC Red and Yellow Onions from Washington will be on the market through the first week of May
• Remaining red onion supplies are sufficient; yellow stocks are starting to tighten
• Expect lower quality in storage shipments as the season winds down
• Prices are rising as the Northwest storage season comes to a close

Spring 2017 Harvesting Transition

• The spring harvesting transitions of broccoli, cauliflower, celery, iceberg, and leafy items are underway
• Supplies are very limited in all regions; weather patterns are preventing a smooth transition to new regions
• Quality is good, but low yields and high markets are current challenges
• Prices will remain high over the next two to three weeks

Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.

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