News and Stories

Hot, humid weather in Baja, Mexico as well as parts of California are affecting the quality and supply levels of many commodity items such as cilantro, lettuces, leafy greens, and strawberries. The cilantro market continues to rise; yields are down and quality is fair to poor. Strawberry prices are quickly rising due to tight supplies of high-quality fruit; expect prices to remain elevated through the end of the Salinas/Watsonville season.

Cilantro

• Tight cilantro supplies persist in the main growing regions of Baja, Mexico as well as Oxnard and Salinas, California due to the extreme hot, humid weather on the West Coast
• The iced cilantro carton market continues to rise; yields are down and quality is fair to poor
• Expect limited supplies and active markets for the next 10 to 14 days

Idaho Potatoes

• Limited quantities of packer label new crop Norkotah supplies will become available in early August; new crop packer label Burbank potatoes will be shipped in late September/early October
• Prices for large sizes (40- through 70-count stocks) will continue easing as the industry transitions from storage supplies to new crop stocks; supply levels are ample
• Markon First Crop (MFC) Burbank Potatoes will become available in early November; new crop MFC Norkotah Potatoes will become available in late August/early September

Melons

• Summer cantaloupe, honeydew, and watermelon supplies are plentiful in California’s San Joaquin Valley; production is also taking place in regional areas on the East Coast
• Prices will remain stable for several weeks during this peak harvesting period
• Quality is excellent

Oranges

• California Valencia oranges are dominated by 113-count fruit; larger sizes (72-count and larger supplies) remain limited
• Chilean and South African Navel oranges are available to load on the East Coast; limited quantities of Chilean Navels can be loaded on the West Coast
• Prices have remained stable over the past few weeks, but will begin to rise due to strong demand
• MFC and Markon Essentials Oranges are available
• Expect the market to increase as schools come back into session

Salinas Valley Outlook

• Despite the quality issues that are reducing yields in both the Salinas Valley and Santa Maria, regional supplies from growing areas across North America are keeping prices level
• Markets will rise by early August; quality problems are decreasing supplies for both processors and commodity shippers 
• Quality issues such as fringe burn, insect pressure, internal burn, mildew, and thin texture will continue to reduce yields for both commodity and value-added products in the Salinas Valley
• Quality issues are expected to persist through the month of August based on the abnormally warm and humid weather that is forecast

Strawberries

• Prices are escalating due to tight supplies of high-quality fruit
• MFC Strawberries are not available; Markon Best Available is being substituted
• Expect prices to remain elevated in Salinas/Watsonville through the end of the season; the Santa Maria season will resume in late August/early September

Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.

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