News and Stories

Ideal weather conditions on the West Coast and weak demand have caused iceberg prices to ease; quality is improving and yields are increasing. The cauliflower market continues to drop; supplies are becoming more plentiful despite rain in the desert growing regions. Expect lower prices for the next several weeks. Green onion stocks remain tight; the market will remain elevated for the next several weeks. Strawberry prices are high; demand exceeds supply. Volume will remain low through mid-February.

Bell Peppers, Cucumbers, and Squash

• Cold weather and rain in Florida and Mexico will cause prices to spike next week
• Limited supplies and elevated prices are forecast through January
• Quality will be fair
• Expect bruising, light color, scarring, and stem decay
• Small sizes will dominate the Mexican crop
• Prices will remain elevated until weather improves

Ready-Set-Serve (RSS) Iceberg Trigger Levels

• Ideal weather in the desert growing region is aiding growth; demand is weak
• Quality is improving; yields are increasing
• Effective Thursday, January 14, prices for RSS salad items containing iceberg fell below first-tier triggers
• Expect easing prices through next week

RSS Cauliflower Floret Trigger Levels

• Prices continue to drop as volume rises   
• Multiple growing regions in Arizona, California, and Mexico are in full production
• Effective January 12, prices for RSS Cauliflower Florets returned to normal levels
• Expect soft markets for the next several weeks

RSS Green Onion Triggers

• Supplies are tight; prices are elevated
• Small sizes dominate most fields; large sizes are extremely limited
• Effective Wednesday, January 13, RSS Green Onions increased to third-tier trigger levels
• Expect high prices for the next several weeks
  

Limes

• The market will climb next week due to fewer stocks and stronger demand
• Sufficient supplies are forecast once spring production begins in April
• No shortages are expected (as in past years)
• Prices will ease once harvesting starts in the spring

Strawberries

• Prices are up this week; demand exceeds supply
• California stocks are extremely limited and not expected to increase anytime soon due to low temperatures
• Supplies from Florida and Mexico (into South Texas) will remain adequate through the Valentine’s Day pull
• Markon First Crop and Markon Best Available (MBA) Strawberries are not available out of Oxnard, California; packer label supplies (in one-pound clamshells) are being substituted
• A limited supply of MBA Strawberries will be available from Mexico (into South Texas) for loading the week of January 25
• Expect tight stocks and elevated prices through mid-February

West Coast Prices

• The broccoli, green leaf, iceberg, and romaine markets are expected to inch down over the next five to seven days
• Yields and carton weights will rise as a result of warmer weather in the desert growing region
• Favorable conditions in the Arizona/California desert growing region will help increase volume, while heavy snow and freezing temperatures in the Midwest and Northeast regions of the country will weaken demand and adjust market prices
  

Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.

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