Spokane Produce

September 13, 2017

Market News

Apples: California – Gala apples are cleaning up. Granny Smith apples are steady to lower on all sizes with light availability especially on 88s and larger. The quality has been good. Washington – Red Delicious are higher on most sizes, and grades and the market remain very active with strong demand. The remaining C.A. fruit is peaking on 80/88s, but supplies are dwindling. Golden Delicious are available in limited quantities. The new-crop Goldens are peaking on Premium grade 100/113s with more small fruit than large. The fruit is clean and hasn’t yielded many of the lower grades. The Gala market is lower as supplies are coming on. The heat in Washington is causing more lighter colored fruit, and they are peaking on 113/125/138s. There are very light supplies of new-crop Fujis. They are peaking on Premium grade 80/88/100s. Honeycrisp are steady to slightly lower with more higher grade fruit ranging from 64s to 100s. The quality of all varieties has been good.
Asparagus: Volume out of Northern Baja (Ensenada) is light due to rains last week which has affected yields. We should see better volume mid to late next week. Due to Hurricane Irma, nothing has arrived from Peru since late last week. We should start seeing some arrivals starting Wednesday, September 13th. All markets will be higher due limited volume from Northern Baja, and limited arrivals from Peru.
Avocados: The weather continues to be sporadic rain in the growing areas in Mexico, which has kept the already extremely light supplies coming from Mexico to persist this week. The market is at historically high levels. The demand for avocados has not let up forcing supplies to raise markets to higher levels. Sizing is still peaking on 60s with limited supplies of #2’s. The relief we were looking for from Chile has not played out and doesn’t look to be the case as we are hoping supplies increase from Mexico. Mexico’s new main crop is expected to start in October now versus the predicted late-September time frame. It looks as if there is more time needed for the maturity level of the fruit to increase before they start harvesting.
Blueberries: Blueberry supplies continue to be limited as we near the end of the Pacific Northwest season. Shippers are harvesting lightly while some are shipping out of storage. Domestic supplies look to drop off in the next week or two as the season ends. Import supplies are working their way up to us. The hurricane has messed up the shipping lanes and schedules, but fruit will be coming soon. The market is higher.
Strawberries: Strawberry supplies will be limited for the next week or so. The extremely hot record setting temperatures in the growing areas has wreaked havoc with supplies and quality. We have had crop loss and low production to contend with. We have also had rain showers that have further damaged the crops. Demand has been lower which has kept the market surprisingly steady to slightly higher than expected under the circumstances. Demand is returning as the east coast recovers from the hurricanes which could drive the market even higher. The market is steady to slightly higher.
Broccoli: The broccoli market has taken a drastic turn. Supplies have become extremely limited. The main reason is the extreme heat we have experienced here in the Salinas Valley coupled with the rain in the growing region of Mexico as well. In the Salinas Valley shippers are passing up acreage due to brown bead and hollow core from the heat. Supplies look to remain limited for the next 2 to 3 weeks. Processors are already holding customers to 12-week averages. Quality will be fair at best with yellowing, dehydration, hollow core, and brown bead
Limes: Limes are struggling with quality. Tropical Storm Franklin and other storms since have caused a lot of damage to the lime supply and quality. Previous rains and heavy winds caused days of zero harvest and on top of that quality will suffer for weeks due to stylar, skin breakdown, and wind scarring. The situation will not improve much for the next several weeks. Growers had just recently started in new blocks and are now finding all of the defects listed above. The size curve is on the small end with the most volume in 23/250’s and very few if any 110/150’s.
Grapes: Green grapes are continuing to look really good in all areas. We have great quality, good supplies, great size, great color, and great taste. It’s a good time to load up on the different varieties being harvested right now. The market has a range from the low teens to low twenties with a lot of choices of size from our shippers. The lowest prices grapes have come up a notch or two. The market is steady to higher. Grapes (Red) Red grapes continue to enjoy the same exact environment as the green grapes. Red grapes are looking really good in all areas. We have great quality, good supplies, great size, great color and great taste. It’s a good time to load up on the different varieties being harvested right now. The market has a range from the mid-low teens to low twenties with a lot of choices of size from our shippers. The bottom of the market has come up a little over last week. The market is steady to higher.
Tomatoes: California continues to work through extreme heat conditions reducing hours of operation amongst picking schedules affecting yields for coming weeks. With a rising market in the east, western shippers can expect to see strength in their pricing, as well as national demand, increase the closer we get to October. Unfortunately, there is less planted acreage this year with some growers scheduled to finish in early October. Growers currently have already suffered some bloom drop allowing Mexico to sell above the minimum. Mature greens are higher at this time, and quality is fair. Sizing is on the smaller side as a result of hot weather causing larger fruit to sell at a premium. Roma production is steady in California with imports crossing McAllen and Otay Mesa helping supply. Grape tomatoes are strengthening with less available as a result of coastal weather systems. Additionally, cherry plantings are transitioning between fields shortening supply with demand driving price upward. Going into October with much of Florida out of the picture, California and Baja may be the only growing regions with fruit to offer. Elevated markets are expected through mid-December until mainland Mexico begins imports and Florida gets back on track.

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