News and Stories

Texas has experienced record-breaking, freezing temperatures over the past week in produce growing regions, raising concerns about quality and supply levels. Below is a list of products Markon expects will be impacted this season due to extreme weather. We will update as more information becomes available on these products.

Texas Cabbage (In season: October through May)
Being a hardier item, minimal damage is expected, but near-term volume will be low due to snow-covered ground. Expect stocks to tighten and markets to rise. Regions in Florida and the Arizona/California desert are in play to help fill the void.

Texas Cilantro & Parsley (In season: October through April)
Above-ground plant tissues have been frozen, but plants will be mowed down (not uprooted) and will rejuvenate. Cilantro supplies will recover in 14 days but parsley will take closer to 30 days. California and Mexico are the major production areas. No major supply disruptions are expected.

Texas Grapefruit (In season: October through May)
About half of the crop was still on the trees and has been wiped out, bringing the season to an early end. Florida will fill the void until the California season ramps up in April. Expect tight supplies and elevated markets on both coasts.

Texas Onions (In season: March through May)
The season is scheduled to start the week of March 1, but this may be delayed. It is too soon to tell if the low temperatures will have a negative effect on the crop. Growers are assessing the damage and will know more once temperatures rise next week.

Texas Oranges (In season: September through April)
A significant amount of the crop was still on the trees and has been wiped out, bringing the season to an early end. Most customers are ordering Texas oranges for juicing, and will now look to Florida and Mexico until California’s juicing crop (Valencia) is harvested in mid-March. Expect elevated prices out of Florida, Mexico, and California this season.

Texas Watermelons (In season: April through October)
Some early plantings, that were to be harvested in early April, have been damaged. Replanting will occur over the next few weeks which will delay the start of the season by two to three weeks. Northwest Mexico is typically a major player during this time so Mexican supplies will be substituted until production in Texas ramps up.

Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.

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