News and Stories

Bell Peppers
Green Bells

• Markon First Crop (MFC) and Markon Essentials (ESS) Green Bell Peppers are available
• Growers have moved from Florida to Georgia; large sizes are dominate early crops
• California’s Imperial Valley is now the main West Coast region
  • Supplies are ample
  • Quality is very good
• The main Mexican deal into Nogales, Arizona is quickly ending; remaining stocks are being sold locally
• Prices are expected to remain steady next week

Red Bells

• MFC and ESS Red and Yellow Bell Peppers are available
• The California desert region is producing peppers with excellent quality; jumbo and extra-large sizes are most common at this time
• Mexican supplies are reduced as its the rainy season in Central Mexico and this is a typical time of slowdown
• New crop supplies in Georgia are limited; quality is good
• Expect steady to slightly lower prices next week

Brussels Sprouts

• Baja Mexico, Central Mexico, and Oxnard, California are the current primary growing regions
• Quality is diminished in supplies from Central Mexico due to elevated temperatures that are causing discoloration and increasing insect pressure
• Expect prices to continue rising over the next two weeks, until the Santa Maria harvest begins

California Oranges
Valencias

• MFC and ESS Valencia Oranges are available
• California Valencia supplies are available; quality is very good
• The crop is dominated by large sizes this season; as a result, small sizes will remain limited through the 2021 season
• Valencia sugar levels range from 12 to 13 Brix  

Navels

• The domestic Navel season will end in the next six to eight weeks
• Navel sugar levels range from 12 to 14 Brix

California Strawberries

• MFC Strawberries are available
• Supplies have been reduced; quality remains very good
• Persistently strong demand, along with more growers switching to processing, helped contribute to the market increase
• New crop Salinas/Watsonville volume continues to increase slowly at this time; MFC Strawberries are will be available for shipment, beginning May 31
• The season in Oxnard, California is officially finished

Grapes
Chile

• Lunch Bunch Grapes will be available through the second week of June
• The Chilean season will end the week of June 15

Mexico

• ESS Green and Red Seedless Grapes will begin shipping the week of June 7
• Prices have begun to ease due to increased stocks
• California fruit will be available in mid-July

Idaho Potatoes
Supplies

• 40- and 50-count sizes remain extremely limited
• Suppliers need up to ten working days (in some cases) to generate sufficient volume for 40- and 50-count orders
• 40- to 70-count pricing continues to strengthen weekly

Memorial Day Loading

• Idaho potato sales offices and loading docks will be closed Monday, May 31
• Normal Monday loading orders will be loaded Tuesday, June 1
• Tuesday loading will be a slow process

Lemons

• MFC and ESS Lemons are available
• The primary growing region continues to transition from California’s San Joaquin Valley to the Southern California (Ventura County); shelf-life is shorter than normal at this time of year due to increased moisture and stronger winds in this region
• Expect prices to continue rising through the summer as demand increases and availability tightens
  • Offshore Argentine fruit is arriving into the East Coast this week
  • Offshore Chilean fruit is expected to begin arriving the week of June 14
  • There is no difference in pack size, color, or taste between domestic and offshore fruit   
  • Mexican lemons will enter the market the week of July 19 and remain available for pickup in Delano, California and Mission, Texas

RSS Peeled Garlic

• The main difference between each region is the flavor profile:
  • California-grown RSS Peeled Garlic tends to have pungent flavor with high oil content; this is due to land rotation (growers not planting on the same soil every year)
  • Growers in Mexico rotate crops, but not as often; this weakens pungency and lowers oil content
  • Chinese farmers do not employ crop rotation; planting the same ground year after year causes the garlic to be the least pungent with the lowest oil content
• Expect elevated markets until California new crop supplies become available in late June/early July

Tomatoes
Round

• Florida mature green harvesting is reduced this week; growers are transitioning from Ruskin/Palmetto to Quincy
• Mexican vine ripe production is starting to increase in the Eastern Mexico and Baja regions
  • Large sizes are most prevalent
  • Quality is good
• California’s Imperial Valley season has begun in a moderate way; San Joaquin Valley volume will climb in June
• Prices are expected to remain steady next week

Roma

• Florida Roma numbers are lower as the Ruskin/Palmetto season is finishing this week; the Quincy area has started with minimal acreage
• Mexican growers are transitioning from western regions to Baja, Jalisco, and San Luis Potosi; these new crop areas are producing good quality fruit
• Production will start in California’s San Joaquin Valley over the next two weeks
• Prices will remain stable through next week

Grape

• Florida supplies are diminishing as the Palmetto/Ruskin season is winding down; harvesting will start in Quincy as well as South Carolina next week
• Mexican supplies are tight
  • The Nogales season is ending
  • The Baja harvest is behind schedule
• Markets are extremely active

Cherry

• Florida has adequate supplies for current demand
• The Baja region crop is producing good quality fruit
• Expect prices to remain stable

Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.
 
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