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Commodity Updates
Keep up-to-date on how weather and other conditions across the country and the globe affect the quality, availability, and pricing of your fresh fruits and produce.
COMMODITY ALERTS...
Lemons - Extreme demand exceeding supplies on all sizes and grades of lemons. We are really feeling the extent of California's drought conditions of the last couple of years, with the fruit not sizing and a high percentage of undersized fruit that goes straight to juice, leaving an extreme shortage on California lemons. The new crop in the desert is just beginning in a very light way. Expect this shortage to go on until we see the desert crop hits some volume in late September.
Oranges - California Valencia oranges are in an extreme demand-exceeds-supply situation with the school push. Many shippers are already looking at their final few weeks of Valencia season, this is much sooner than expected. Shippers are also having labor shortages as pickers move to help finish off the grape crop. Packers have been slowing their pace to stretch out this year's lighter volume Valencia crop, but this may not help much.
Broccoli - Demand exceeds supply. Quality continues to be fair; defects include yellow beading and rubbery texture due to high temperatures.
Blueberries - Availability is limited as we transition from domestic to offshore; expect supply gaps through the rest of the month.
PEAK SEASON...
Avocados - California's harvest should be finished for the season by next week. Mexico's Flora Loca crop harvest is going well with good volumes. Quality is very good. This early season fruit will have a tendency to remain green when ripe, as the skin isn't mature enough for it to darken. Color is not an indication of ripeness, pressure is. >>Click here for information on avocados<<
Kale - Quality and availability are excellent. Pricing is very competitive.
Red Grapes - Demand is improving as the stone fruit season winds down. Quality continues to be excellent.
Cantaloupes - Peak size is 15-count. Very good quality and sugar content; demand is good. The desert region is looking to begin harvesting the first or second week of October.
Honeydews - Peak size is 5-count. California is at its peak production; quality and sugar content are very good.
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