News and Stories

Avocados
Mexico

• Availability is dominated by small No. 2-grade fruit
• Expect strong prices and tight supplies through May
• Harvesting will not take place in Mexico from March 28  to April 3 due to Holy Week

California

• California’s season is just getting started
• Stocks are expected to ramp up by mid-May

Broccoli

• Supplies are tightening in the Arizona/California desert region
• Crossings from Mexico into McAllen, Texas are stable; pricing is expected to hold steady for the next two to three weeks
• Expect this trend to continue until the seasonal transition is complete in late March/early April

Cauliflower

• Recent cold weather has slowed growth in the Arizona/California desert growing region, lowering yields
• Expect tight stocks and elevated markets over the next two weeks

Lettuce and Leaf

• Demand continues to increase as COVID-19-related indoor dining restrictions are being eased
• Growers are approaching the spring harvesting transition
  • Iceberg and romaine stocks are tightening
  • Ample supplies of green leaf remain available
• Expect active prices as the Arizona/California desert enters the final weeks of harvesting and growers begin to transition to Huron and Salinas, California

Onions
Texas

• Texas onion growers continue to assess the damage caused by the February freeze; it is estimated that the industry will lose 15% to 30% of their crop
• Volume will be further affected as growers reduced the total number of acres planted for the 2021 season
• Expect elevated prices for Texas-grown onions through the entire season (March through May)
• Idaho, Oregon, Utah, and Washington
• Markon First Crop Onions are readily available; quality remains excellent
• The market has inched up

Strawberry
Oxnard/Santa Maria, California

• Evening/morning low temperatures (in the 30◦-40◦ F range) will reduce supplies as well; fruit will take longer to reach color specifications
• Stocks will tighten due to curtailed harvests

Mexico

• The season continues to wind down and is expected to end by mid-March

Florida

• The season will end in late March
• Variance in quality is creating a split market
• Expect declining quality over the next 7 to 10 days

Tomatoes

• Round and Roma supplies are sufficient, but demand is increasing
  • Mexican production is steady; stocks are adequate
  • Overall prices are up slightly
• Grape tomato inventory is down; markets have increased significantly
  • Florida crops are experiencing a supply gap due to bloom drop that occurred in February
  • East Coast demand has shifted to Mexico; suppliers have increased prices
• Greenhouse heirloom cherry tomato supplies experiencing a supply gap
  • Demand exceeds supply; orders are being allocated
  • Expect extremely tight stocks until early April when Canadian production gets underway
  • Field-grown cherry tomatoes are readily available from Mexico

Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.
 
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