News and Stories

Ample supplies in Florida and Mexico have pushed down prices for mature-green, Roma, and vine-ripe tomatoes; quality is excellent. Snow and freezing temperatures across the Midwest and Northeast have weakened demand.

Florida

• The winter harvest is underway in the Immokalee and Homestead areas

• Mature-green plantings are typically lighter in the winter due to increased Mexican production, but weak demand is keeping supplies plentiful

• Florida-grown cherry, grape, and Roma volume is meeting East Coast demand

• Weather conditions should remain optimal through the weekend; cooler temperatures are forecast for next week

• Cold nighttime temperatures could slow production by the middle of next week and push up prices

• Growers will continue to harvest fields with fewer winter plantings; volume will greatly depend on weather conditions

Mexico

• Production from the main area of Culiacan, Mexico (into Nogales, Arizona and South Texas) is in full swing

• All varieties are plentiful including cherry, grape, mature-green, Roma, and vine-ripe tomatoes

• Quality is excellent, but some shippers are struggling to turn inventories, resulting in some over-ripe fruit on the market

• Because prices are low, Mexican growers will decrease the quantity of fruit being freighted into the U.S.

o This allows growers to move current inventory and assure that quality is kept at optimum levels

o If this becomes the trend over the next several weeks, prices will rise and fewer supplies will be available on the U.S. market

• The outlook for the next several weeks includes optimal weather conditions and an abundance of product

Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.

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