News and Stories

Recent cold temperatures in the Salinas and Santa Maria, California growing regions have slowed the growth of new crop broccoli and cauliflower, resulting in tight supplies. Broccoli prices are rising; the cauliflower market remains steady at elevated levels. California strawberry stocks have increased; demand has weakened and prices are easing. Markon First Crop (MFC) Tuscan Lettuce supplies will be extremely limited over the next three to four weeks. Recent cooler weather has slowed new crop growth; yields are down 50-60%.

Broccoli and Cauliflower

• Warm winter and spring temperatures increased growth faster than normal, while recent cool temperatures have slowed growth in new fields; this has caused a cauliflower supply gap and a significant drop in broccoli supplies
• The broccoli market is rising sharply; Ready-Set-Serve Cauliflower items reached the second-tier trigger levels on Monday, May 18
• Broccoli Crowns are available; Markon Essentials Cauliflower is not available
• Expect high prices through next week

California Strawberries

• Strawberry stocks have increased; demand has weakened
• Prices are easing
• MFC Strawberries are available; Markon Best Available is being substituted as needed
• Expect two-tiered pricing between the Salinas/Watsonville and Santa Maria growing regions with the Santa Maria market being slightly lower

MFC Tuscan Lettuce

• Warm winter growing conditions pushed harvesting ahead of schedule, while recent cooler temperatures have slowed new growth, causing a supply gap
• MFC Tuscan Lettuce will be extremely limited over the next three to four weeks
• Insect pressure has increased as a result of dry, drought-related conditions
• Markon expects as much as a 60% drop in available Tuscan lettuce supplies through mid-June

Onions

• Rain in California’s Imperial Valley has disrupted supply levels; storage onions in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington are diminishing
• The market remains elevated, but will stabilize next week when MFC Onion supplies increase in San Joaquin Valley, California and New Mexico
• Fresh onions will have thin, light-colored skin compared to the brown, thicker skin of storage onions out of the Northwest

Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.

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