News and Stories

Cilantro

• Ready-Set-Serve (RSS) Washed & Trimmed Cilantro is available
• Erratic weather in the Oxnard, Salinas Valley, and Santa Maria, California growing regions, including two heatwaves over the past five weeks, followed by a period of cooler-than-normal temperatures, has reduced cilantro stocks
• Quality has remained strong as most cilantro is grown near the coast; texture is firm with minimal yellowing
• Markets are expected to remain elevated through October

Green Cabbage

• Erratic weather in the Salinas Valley, including two heatwaves over the past five weeks, followed by a period of cooler-than-normal temperatures, have reduced head size and overall yields
• With yields down, processors are requiring more acreage to produce the same output, limiting industry supplies further
• Volume in New York and Canada has been reduced by higher-than-average rainfall in July and August; the New Jersey and North Carolina seasons will ramp up in 10 to 14 days, increasing East Coast stocks
• West Coast markets will remain elevated through the rest of the Salinas Valley season

Onions

• Markon First Crop (MFC) Red and Yellow Onion quality is excellent: supplies possess solid, globe-like shape and firm texture
• Limited quantities of storage onions will be available in early October; growers will ship exclusively out of storage after the first of November  

Strawberries

• MFC Strawberries are available in Santa Maria, California
• Stocks are expected to remain extremely limited for the next 10 to 14 days
• Across the board, suppliers are allocating orders as much as 50% due to quality issues caused by the heat
• MFC Strawberries are covered in full at six-week averages
• Quality concerns include bleeding, bruising, pin rot, small size, softness, and reduced shelf-life

Tomatoes

• High temperatures in August have reduced yields in California’s San Joaquin Valley; this season will run through the end of October
• Alabama and Tennessee growers will harvest for two more weeks
• Florida’s season is forecast to start in late October/early November
• Quincy, Florida production will be postponed until October 24; Hurricane Sally brought heavy rain to the growing region, delaying the start of the season
• The Palmetto season will begin in late October; however, sufficient volume isn’t expected until November 1
• Mexican production is underway in Jalisco and will run through mid-November; Culiacan will follow in December

Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.

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