News and Stories

Apples:

• New crop Washington Markon First Crop (MFC) Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, and Red Delicious Apples are on the market; storage crop MFC Granny Smith and Red Delicious Apples are also available
• Small sizes (138-, 125-, and 113-count fruit) will be limited all season
• Size profile will be on the large side
• Expect low prices for large sizes due to the abundance of this fruit; the market for smaller sizes will be higher

Avocados:

• Mexican growers are holding back supplies to keep prices elevated; fruit crossing into South Texas is minimal
• Availability of all sizes will be extremely limited for the next few weeks
• Stocks are being shipped firmer/greener than normal due to strong demand and shortened ripening times
• Expect rising prices and limited stocks through October

California Strawberries:

• MFC Strawberries are sporadic; Markon Best Available is being substituted as needed
• Quality is improving due to this week’s favorable growing conditions
• Supplies are abundant between Salinas/Watsonville and Santa Maria
• Very few growers have begun production in Oxnard
• The Salinas/Watsonville season is expected to run through October
• Prices are stable but will slowly increase as the industry transitions into new growing regions through the winter months

Hurricane Matthew:

• Hurricane Matthew is expected to impact Eastern Florida early tomorrow morning, Friday, October 7
• The storm is expected to rake across the eastern coasts of Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas through Sunday, October 9
• Strong winds and heavy rain may interrupt harvesting schedules and reduce crop yields through the winter season
• The availability of French beans, Peruvian asparagus, and snow peas will be affected over the next week
• The threat to Northeastern states has been reduced at this time

Idaho Potatoes:

• New crop Norkotah and Burbank potato harvesting is nearly complete in Idaho
• Fresh-run, MFC Norkotah Potatoes are on the market
• MFC Burbank Potatoes will be ready for shipment the first week of November
• Harvesting will be complete within the next few days, giving growers more control over supply levels and causing a typical market upswing for this time of the year

Lemons:

• MFC and Markon Essentials Lemons are sporadic; packer label is being substituted as needed
• California’s production is winding down in the south coast regions; the new crop Arizona/California desert season is slowly ramping up
• Stocks from Chile and Mexico are on the market if needed
• Domestic fruit will have a shorter shelf-life during this time of the year; anticipate quality issues such as inconsistent color, oil spotting, and scarring
• Markon recommends ordering for quick turns and a grade higher for best quality
• The market will remain fairly stable despite limited availability; flexibility on sizes, grades, loading dates, and pick up locations may be necessary to ensure order coverage

Lettuce and Leafy Greens:

• High temperatures are forecast in the Salinas Valley throughout the next several days; weather will fall back to normal with a chance of rain by the end of next week
• Quality should not be affected
• Longer periods of heat can put stress on plants, thin the texture of leaves, and reduce shelf-life
• Maintaining the cold chain is critical to maximizing quality and shelf-life
• Prices should remain at lower levels through the week; supplies are readily available

Melons:

• California’s Westside season (in the San Joaquin Valley stretching from Bakersfield to Turlock) will wind down over the next three weeks; harvesting has begun in Aguila and Maricopa, Arizona
• MFC Cantaloupe is available, but will be sporadic after supplies from California’s San Joaquin Valley are depleted
• MFC Honeydew is available, but will also become sporadic over the coming months
• Prices will remain elevated into November

White Russet Idaho Potatoes:

• New crop White Russet harvesting is underway; potatoes will be stored in cellars, allowing them to undergo the sweat process before shipment
• Quality will be excellent; higher yields are predicted
• Growers will begin shipping out of storage the week of October 24 and continue through early September 2017 or until supplies are depleted (whichever comes first)

Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.

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