Broccoli and Cauliflower

Markon First Crop (MFC) Broccoli and Markon Essentials (ESS) Cauliflower are readily available.

Broccoli

• California-grown quality is good; crown size, color, and structure is ideal
• Overall supplies are sufficient to meet demand; markets are mostly steady at slightly above-average levels
• Mexican-grown product is available for loading in South Texas at comparable FOB costs
• Product reviewed by Markon inspectors is exhibiting excellent quality due to dry, temperate weather

Cauliflower

• Yields are lower, but remain abundant in the West Coast growing regions of Salinas and Santa Maria
• Quality issues are minimal but include dark spotting, off-color, and inconsistently sized heads
• Expect prices to firm up through this week but remain relatively depressed into June

Cantaloupe and Honeydew Melon

The domestic California/Arizona desert season is off to a slow start; the offshore season has come to an end. Markets are climbing.

Cantaloupe

• The offshore season has ended
• Mexican supplies are adequate
• Florida suppliers are now shipping the Athena variety throughout the East Coast
• The domestic Arizona/California desert season has begun in a limited manner; prices are up
  • Sizing is currently dominated by smaller, 12- and 15-count fruit
  • Expect size to shift to larger fruit in the next one to two weeks as optimal growing weather is forecast for the Yuma and Imperial Valley growing regions
• A limited supply of MFC Cantaloupes are being shipped from the Arizona-California desert regions
• Expect elevated markets to persist for the next 7-10 days

Honeydew

• The offshore season has ended; Mexican supplies continue to ship

• The Arizona-California desert season began in a limited manner this week
• Fluctuating springtime temperatures impacted maturity and pollination, leading to a slow start; supplies are limited
  • Sizing is dominated by smaller, eight-and nine-count fruit; five- and six-count sizes are very limited
  • Expect size to shift to larger, five- and six-count fruit in the next two weeks
• MFC Honeydew will become available by the end of next week
• Expect markets to rise over the next two weeks as the domestic season ramps up

Citrus

The California Navel orange season is projected to wrap up in late June. California Valencia orange production is now in full swing. Small California lemons (165- and 200-count sizes) remain tight; the crop is dominated by large sizes (95- through 140-count fruit).

Oranges

Valencia

• MFC and ESS Valencia Oranges are available

• New crop supplies are dominated by large sizes (56- through 88-count fruit); small sizes (113- through 138-count fruit) will remain limited through the season
• Quality is great; eating quality and color are excellent
• Mexican Valencia supplies (crossing into Nogales, Arizona) will finish shipping May 31
• Expect steady markets at elevated levels

Navel

• MFC and ESS Navel Oranges are available

• Small sizes (113- through 138-count fruit) remain extremely limited in California
• The California Navel season is expected to wrap up in late June
• Expect high prices

Lemons

• MFC and ESS Lemons are available  
• Districts One and Two (the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California) are currently in production
• 165- and 200-count sizes are extremely limited; size is dominated by 95- through 140-count lemons
• The offshore season is expected to start in early June
• Expect elevated markets with spring/summer demand ramping up

Grapes

Mexican green and red grape prices are inching down; demand is moderate. Mexican portioned grapes will begin shipping the week of June 10. The California season will begin in late July.

Red/Green Grapes

• ESS Grapes are available  
• The Mexican season is in peak production; demand is moderate
• Pricing has begun to decline due to increased yields

• California grapes will begin shipping in mid- to late July

Portioned Grapes

• MFC Lunch Bunch Grapes will begin shipping in late June   
• Packer label offshore portioned grapes are currently being shipped

• The Mexican portioned grape season will begin the week of June 10
• Expect elevated pricing as the season begins followed by gradually decreasing markets

Green Leaf, Iceberg, and Romaine Lettuce

Iceberg markets are approaching extremely elevated levels. Green leaf and romaine prices are easing.

Iceberg

• MFC Premium Iceberg Lettuce is limited; Markon Best Available (MBA) is being substituted as needed due to low weights
• Demand far exceeds supply as industry availability continues to tighten
• Low field weights and uneven head size were caused by inconsistent weather and planting gaps following spring rains
• Additionally, production has been challenged in Central Mexico due to elevated temperatures, shifting demand to California
• Expect persistently high markets for the next two weeks

Green Leaf and Romaine

• MFC Premium Green Leaf and Romaine Lettuces are available
• Quality is very good; insect pressure and wind damage are being reported in some lots
• Green leaf markets prices are approaching the bottom
• Romaine prices are expected to continue falling into June

Onions

Fresh-run onions are available in California and New Mexico. Yellow and white varieties are in good supply; red onions remain scarce but volume is increasing.

Southern California

• MFC Onions are available in the California desert region
• Yellow and white stocks are sufficient; red onions remain scarce

• Overall markets are slowly declining as demand shifts to New Mexico
• Red onion sizing is dominated by medium and small/jumbo
• Internal quality is very good with some excess skin and occasional sunscald affecting outer appearance

New Mexico

• MFC Onions are available
• All three colors are available
• Production is ramping up, slowly decreasing markets
• Super colossal yellows are limited; jumbo and medium sizes dominate availability
• Red onion demand is active, keeping markets elevated; prices will ease as volume increases
• Quality is good; light sunburn and loose skins have been reported

Northern California

• The season is expected to start in mid-June

Potatoes – Idaho

Supplies of 40– to 70-count Idaho potatoes continue to tighten. Small sizes (80- to 100-count stocks) dominate the remaining Norkotah and Burbank storage supply.

Storage Crop

• 40- to 50-count supplies are extremely tight; six-week averages will be implemented for shipping large sizes through mid-August
  • Advance lead time is highly recommended for order fulfillment
  • The market will continue to strengthen through the remainder of the 2023/2024 season
• 80- through 120-count stocks remain ample
• Norkotahs will be depleted by the end of June
• The Burbank variety will be shipped until new crop, field-run Norkotahs become available in mid-August

Quality

• Overall quality is good; air checks, pressure marks, and shoulder bruising will be seen sporadically in remaining storage supplies (both Norkotahs and Burbanks)
  • Air checks are tiny thumbnail like cracks that are caused by stress due to abrupt temperatures
  • Pressure marks and shoulder bruising (soft, external indents) result from constant contact with adjacent potatoes, or the floor, while raw product sits in storage piles

Strawberries

Clear, warm weather will increase production in California over the next 10 days.

Santa Maria, California 

• MFC Strawberries are available
• Quality is very good
• Size currently is 15-19 berries per 8/1-pound clamshell
• Expect markets to remain steady

Salinas/Watsonville, California

• MFC Strawberries are available
• Size is currently 10-12 berries per 8/1-pound packs and 16-22 berries per 4/2-pound cartons
• Quality is very good; expectfull color, sweet flavor, and very few misshaped berries
• Expect stable markets

Squash

Zucchini and yellow squash supplies are tightening; prices are climbing. MFC Zucchini and Yellow Squash supplies are limited.

• The season in Mainland Mexico is ending early due to extremely high temperatures (100F); limited production has begun on the Baja peninsula (into Otay Mesa, California)
• Harvesting is underway in California’s Santa Maria region
  • Cloudy weather is keeping yields low
  • Fancy grades and smaller sizes are most prevalent
• The Coachella region is shipping limited volume this week
• Georgia supplies are slowly increasing due to sunny weather in the mid-80s F
• The North Carolina season will start this weekend; however, growers are struggling with yields
• Expect higher prices to continue over the next 10 days until new harvesting regions are well established

Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.

©2024 Markon Cooperative, Inc. All rights reserved.