Green Bells

Overall green bell pepper prices are tightening due to harvesting transitions.

• Markon First Crop (MFC) and Markon Essentials (ESS) Green Bell Peppers are available

• California’s San Joaquin Valley is past peak production; supplies are steady
  • Quality is good
  • Large sizes and choice grades are most abundant
  • The Gilroy/Hollister region will start harvesting in a limited manner on July 25
• East Coast stocks are tighter this week as North Carolina crops wind down; growers are moving to new regions
  • Quality is average
  • Choice grades and small sizes dominate availability
  • New Jersey is harvesting large peppers; volume is increasing
  • Many small local harvests are up and running in Kentucky, Virginia, Tennessee, and Michigan
• Expect slightly higher markets this week

Red Bells

Red bell pepper supplies are increasing in California; markets are slowly decreasing.

• MFC and ESS Red Bell Peppers are available

• Growers in California’s Central Valley are finally reaching adequate volume
  • Overall quality is very good
  • All sizes are available

• Central Mexico (crossing into South Texas) has limited availability; quality is very good
• Canadian greenhouse volume has dipped as growers work through typical production cycles
• Prices remain high, but are expected to slowly decline over the next two weeks

Strawberries 

Supplies continue to tighten; prices are poised to climb by the weeks’ end. Expect volume to continue declining through July as the Salinas/Watsonville season has moved past peak production.

Salinas/Watsonville

• MFC Strawberries are available
• Industrywide packaging delays will cause some orders to be substituted into packer label
• Stocks continue to diminish as the season has moved past its peak
• Heavy moisture during the morning hours has been reported; fruit quality will be affected
• Expect markets to rise as production falls and demand strengthens

Santa Maria

• MFC Strawberries are available
• Industrywide packaging delays will cause some orders to be substituted into packer label
• Volume is anticipated to decline as fields have moved past peak season
• Quality is good: some green shoulders have been reported
• Expect markets to rise as production falls and demand strengthens

Oxnard

• Supplies are extremely limited; most growers are finished harvesting for the season
• Quality is fair at best

Live from the Fields: Seeder in Salinas Valley lettuce crops

Please click here to view a Markon Live from the Fields video regarding seeder/long core in lettuce items from the Salinas, California growing region.

• Unseasonably warm and humid weather in June and early July has caused many lettuce crops to develop seeder/long core
• Markon inspectors have mostly been able to avoid seeder concerns for Markon First Crop commodity packs
• Value-added processors have had a hard time eliminating core from incoming raw product and finished packs
• Chopped or shredded romaine and iceberg-based salads in particular have been difficult to keep completely free of core material
• Temperatures are above normal again this week, which could prolong seeder and other heat-related issues into late July

Potatoes

Remaining storage supplies are extremely limited in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. Washington supplies are expected to be depleted in the next five to seven days. Prices will continue to climb.

Storage Crop Washington

• Washington supplies are expected to be depleted in the next five to seven days

Storage Crop Idaho

• 40- to 80-count stocks are extremely limited
• 90- through 120-count supplies are tightening
• MFC Potato suppliers have implemented a six-week average for shipping that will persist through mid-August
• Size substitutions may be required for order fulfillment
• Remaining supply exceeds demand in other regions such as Colorado, Texas, and Wisconsin

New Crop Norkotahs

• New crop production will begin in Washington the first week of August
• Idaho new crop harvesting will start in a limited manner the week of August 8; the bulk of production will get underway the week of August 22
• Growers anticipate early season yields to be dominated by 70- to 90-count potatoes
• The size profile is not expected to increase until late August
• Expect elevated markets to persist until early September

Onions

Scattered showers and thunderstorms continue to slow production in the growing regions of New Mexico.

New Mexico

• Forecasts continue to call for up to 30% chance of rain
• Muddy, wet fields will slow harvesting
• Suppliers are adding extra dry time before sending onions to production and culling any stocks exhibiting quality concerns; loading times may be affected, as result
• Yellow onion prices have leveled off, but remain elevated; red onion markets remain steady
• The New Mexico season will run through mid-August

California

• A few growers will begin to deplete supply levels over the next few weeks; others will have onions through mid-August
• Pricing is steady; stocks are sufficient to meet demand for the rest of the season
• As summer heat persists, onions may exhibit occasional sun scalding, due to intense sunlight and heat; supplies exhibiting any excessive defects will be culled

Northwest

• The Idaho season is slated to get underway in mid-August
• Washington shipments will begin the first week of August
• Utah onions will hit the market in late August
• Colorado grown onions are expected to get underway by mid-August

Pears

The MFC Washington D’Anjou Pear season is winding down. New crop California Bartlett pears are on the market.

Washington

• Storage supplies will be depleted by the end of July
• Remaining stocks consist of small sizes (120- to 135-count fruit)

California

• Early yields favor small sizes (120- to 135-count fruit); size will increase over the next few weeks
• California pears will be available through October
• Growers pack and sell by the count as opposed to the volume-fill method used in Washington
  • California suppliers ship 40-pound packs; Washington growers use 44-pound cartons
  • Due to this pack difference, California ships approximately 6 to 10 fewer pieces of fruit per unit compared to Washington
  • The attached photos show Washington and California pear packs

2022-2023 Washington New Crop

• The Bartlett season will begin in mid-August
• D’Anjou production will start in early September

Ready-Set-Serve (RSS) Peeled Garlic

California storage supplies from the 2021 harvest have been depleted. New crop supplies will begin shipping next week. RSS Peeled Garlic from California is extremely limited; packer label peeled garlic from Mexico is being substituted as needed.

• California growers have depleted their 2021 storage supplies
• Most processors of peeled garlic will be utilizing Mexican raw product over the next two weeks to help bridge the gap
  • Pungency and oil content is lower than California garlic but better than Chinese garlic
  • Some lots are showing brown spots and translucency issues; overall quality is average
• New crop harvesting in CA is underway; supplies will begin shipping July 25
  • Freshly harvested garlic needs a few weeks to dry out before peeling can take place
  • New crop supplies have a strong odor, slightly more bruising, and slightly more moisture than storage crop
• Stocks of RSS Peeled Garlic will increase significantly the week of July 25 with full shipments resuming the week of Aug 1

Red and Yellow Potatoes

Summer red and yellow potato volume is beginning to ramp up in Arizona, California, and Texas. Northwest and Midwest storage potatoes will be harvested over the next few weeks.

Arizona

• Red and yellow potatoes are being shipped
• Quality is excellent; No. 2s are extremely limited

California

• Red and yellow supplies are sufficient; quality is strong in both varieties
• Prices are elevated

Idaho

• Remaining Idaho storage stocks are limited
• New crop Idaho potatoes will become available the first week of August
• No supply gap is expected

Michigan

• The Michigan season will get underway in early August

Minnesota/North Dakota

• Minnesota potatoes will begin to ship the first week of August
• North Dakota stock will hit the market in late September

Texas

• Texas-grown supplies are now on the market
• Similar to Arizona, new crop quality is very good, yielding few No. 2s

Washington

• Limited quantities of Washington potatoes are now available; supplies will begin to ramp up next week

Wisconsin

• New crop harvesting will begin August 1

Tomatoes

Tomato markets are slightly higher due to strong demand. MFC Tomatoes are available.

• California has an adequate supply of mature green and Roma tomatoes shipping from the Central Valley region; however, small sizes are limited

• • Some round tomato growers will begin harvesting in the Gilroy/Hollister area next week
  • Roma tomato quality is very good
• East Coast (Alabama, Tennessee, and Virginia) production of round, Roma, and grape tomatoes is light due to previous rain/weather
  • Quality is average
  • 6×6 and 6×7 round tomatoes are limited
  • Cherry tomatoes are extremely tight
  • Michigan production is expected to start at the beginning of August
• Mexican Roma and round tomato harvesting has decreased for summer
  • The Baja Peninsula (passing through San Diego, California) will ship lower volume of grape/cherry tomatoes over the next two weeks as growers transition to new fields
  • Eastern Mexico (crossing in McAllen, Texas) is providing smaller quantities; however, quality has been hit or miss
• Prices are expected to increase over the next two weeks

Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.

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