News and Stories

Strong Easter demand and tight supplies are pushing up asparagus prices; the Mexican season is ending and the California harvest is ramping up. Bell pepper, cucumber, and squash production will move into spring fields over the next four to six weeks; prices are expected to increase as these transitions approach. The broccoli and cauliflower markets are beginning to rise as the Arizona/California desert season begins to wind down; Salinas, California production has started, but volume is limited due to wet weather. Despite rain in the Oxnard, California growing regions, strawberry supplies remain adequate; the market is slightly higher than last week.

Asparagus

• Supplies are tight; the Mexican season is ending, while new crop California harvests are just starting
• Prices are rising; demand is strong for the Easter holiday
• Markon First Crop (MFC) Asparagus is available
• Expect elevated markets through March

Bell Pepper, Cucumber, and Squash Harvesting Transitions

• New crop Florida cucumber supplies will ramp up the first week of April; supplies will be below seasonal averages due to torrential rains in February
• Harvesting in Central Mexico will wind down by mid-April
• MFC Cucumbers are available in Florida and Mexico (into Nogales, Arizona and South Texas)
• Expect active markets as offshore supplies transition to domestic stocks
• Mexican green bell pepper supplies will be on the market through mid-March; the Coachella, California season begins the week of April 4 and will reach sufficient supply levels by the week of April 11
• MFC Green Bell Peppers are available in Florida and Mexico (into Nogales and South Texas)
• East Coast production will continue in South Florida through April before growers transition north to Georgia in early May; expect steady prices over the next two weeks
• Mexican red bell pepper supplies will remain on the market through mid- to late May; Mexican-grown MFC Red Bell Peppers are available in Nogales and South Texas
• California stocks will be available in the Coachella Valley by early May; expect high prices until volume increases
• Yellow squash and zucchini harvesting will taper off in Western Mexico through late April; spring crops in Northern Mexico will continue to produce into May
• California supplies will be available by the first week of May
• Florida production is limited
• Prices may increase as transitions approach

Broccoli and Cauliflower

• Both markets are beginning to rise
• Abnormally warm weather in the Arizona/California desert and Northern Mexico growing regions caused quality issues in broccoli crops; Salinas production is limited due to wet weather
• Cauliflower harvesting is winding down in the desert area; new crop Salinas supplies will increase over the next several weeks
• MFC Broccoli Crowns are sporadic; Markon Best Available (MBA) will be substituted as necessary
• Markon Essentials Cauliflower is sporadic; packer label will be substituted
• Expect elevated broccoli and cauliflower prices through March

Garlic

• Expect high prices and low volume over the next three months
• The season’s domestic storage garlic yields are lower than normal; Chinese garlic is also in short supply, pushing demand to the West Coast
• Abnormal weather patterns during last year’s domestic planting and harvesting phases caused more defects and lower yields for this year’s storage crop;  a high percentage of product has been culled during the packing stage

Spring Transition

• The spring harvesting transition from the Arizona/California desert region to the San Joaquin Valley (Huron, California) and Salinas Valley is quickly approaching
• Huron growers will begin harvesting limited quantities of green leaf, iceberg, and romaine next week; Salinas Valley growers will start production in late March/early April
• Adequate supplies are expected while the desert season winds down; some growers are approximately 7 to 10 days ahead of schedule in the Salinas Valley, which will help prevent any unforeseen gaps
• If severe quality issues occur due to the heat in the desert, growers will transition north for better quality sooner than anticipated; this would tighten supplies and cause prices to rise sharply

Strawberries

• Despite rain in Oxnard, supplies remain adequate
• The market is slightly higher than last week
• MFC Strawberries are not available due to rain; MBA and packer label supplies in one-pound clamshells are being substituted
• Expect the market to inch up for the Easter holiday
  

Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.

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