Asparagus

Prices continue to inch down; mild weather has increased yields. Markon First Crop (MFC) Asparagus is available.

Mexico

• Baja will remain the primary growing region into mid-November; light production is occurring in the northwestern state of Sonora as well
• Quality is improving and shelf-life potential is increasing amid cooler weather
  • Some lots continue to exhibit elevated levels of seeder/feathering tips
  • Size distribution is better but remains heavily skewed towards small spears
  • Substituting small packs for standard or large sizes will yield considerable FOB cost savings
• Expect markets to continue softening toward late October, but strong holiday demand will push up prices again in November

Southern Peru

Imported stocks (shipped into Miami, Florida) are sufficient enough to fill many East Coast orders; this will be critical for the industry to meet holiday demand next month

Broccoli

MFC Broccoli is being packed in Salinas, California; Markon Best Available (MBA) Broccoli is being packed out Guanajuato, Mexico (shipping out of South Texas). 

• Markets are fairly steady and on par with seasonal averages
• Supplies are expected to remain sufficient through the transition to the Arizona/California desert region in mid- to late November
• Elevated California temperatures have finally eased, leading to better crown structure and quality, and decreased insect populations though likely to remain an issue through the rest of Salinas season (3-4 weeks)
  • Field crews are selectively harvesting crowns to ensure uniformity and avoid sporadic quality challenges like yellowing and hollow core
  • Markon inspectors are pre-inspecting lots, monitoring harvests, and working closely with our partner suppliers to ensure acceptable quality of final packs
• Mexican stocks are adequate but tightening
  • Markets remain lower than those on the West Coast
  • Quality has improved
• Expect markets to remain relatively stable amid abundant supplies through late October

California Navel De-Greening

De-Greening (Gassing)

• By law, oranges must be fully mature when harvested in the United States but some may exhibit yellow-green skins
  • Three levels of maturity must be met before harvesting
    • Juice content
    • Brix percentage (sugars)
    • Citric acid levels
• When necessary, ethylene gas is applied to oranges to change the rind color from yellow or green to orange
  • The process of applying ethylene gas is known as de-greening, gassing, or curing
  • Ethylene gas only helps with the outside skin color, it does not change any other characteristics of the orange
• The length of the de-greening process depends on skin color upon harvest
• Currently California Navel oranges are being de-greened 96 to 120 hours

Cantaloupe and Honeydew Melon

Prices are poised to rise. California’s San Joaquin Valley melon season has ended. Arizona/California desert harvests have begun in a limited manner. MFC Cantaloupe and Honeydew are available.

Cantaloupe

• California/Arizona
  • California’s San Joaquin cantaloupe season has ended
  • California/Arizona’s desert season has started in a limited manner; higher volume is expected in the coming weeks
  • New crop supplies are dominated by 9-count fruit; smaller 12- and 15-count supplies are limited

• Offshore/Central American
  • Cantaloupes will start arriving into domestic ports in late November/early December
• Expect prices to climb over the next two weeks

Honeydew

• California/Arizona
  • California’s San Joaquin honeydew season has ended
  • California/Arizona’s desert season has started in a limited manner; volume will increase over the next several weeks
  • New crop supplies are dominated by 5-count fruit; smaller 8- and 9-count stocks are limited
• Mexican supplies are available in Nogales, Arizona
  • Prices are lower than those for domestic fruit
  • Demand is weaker following last season’s recalls

• Central American/offshore honeydew will start arriving into domestic ports in late November/early December

• Expect markets to rise over the next two weeks

Cauliflower

Markon Essentials (ESS) Cauliflower is available; packer label is being substituted as necessary.

• Salinas and Santa Maria Valley markets are on the rise
• Quality is average; supplies are diminishing as the end of the Salinas season nears
  • Several quality defects such as browning/discoloration, insect damage, and mildew are present
  • Lower temperatures and fewer daylight hours have slowed growth
  • Head size is not increasing as expected; nine-count packs are limited
  • Our QA teams are carefully examining fields and strategically moving harvesting crews to the best lots available
• Markets are projected to remain elevated through October

From the Fields: Salinas/Huron update

Please click here to view a Markon Live from the Fields video regarding the current quality of key vegetable items in the Salinas Valley and Huron, California growing regions.

• MFC Premium Green Leaf, Iceberg, and Romaine Lettuce packs are limited; Markon Best Available is being substituted as needed
• The Salinas Valley growing season is winding down
• Production is ramping up in the Huron, California growing area
• Lettuce crops from both areas are facing challenges related to recent heat waves, which include but are not limited to:
  • Bottom rot/decay
  • Decreased case weights
  • Growth crack
  • Increased insect pressure
  • Long core/seeder
  • Ribby shape
  • Shortened shelf-life
  • Soil disease/die-off
  • Sun scalding
  • Weak tip
• Markon inspectors are monitoring supplies in both growing regions and working with growers to secure the best product for Markon orders
• Ordering for quick turns is recommended; maintaining the cold chain is critical for maximizing quality and shelf-life

Grapefruit

The Rio grapefruit season has begun in a limited manner in the Arizona/California desert region. Expect markets to decline and yields to increase over the next two weeks.

Arizona/California Desert

• Rio grapefruit harvesting has begun in a limited manner
• Expect 48-count fruit to dominate the crop
• Good quality has been reported
• The Arizona/California growing region includes Brawley, California and Yuma, Arizona

Florida

• The season started this week
• Overall volume will be lower than in previous years due to the impact of recent hurricanes
• Expect 56-count fruit to dominate the crop
• Good quality has been reported
• Suppliers will only pack U.S. No. 1 grade stocks

Mexico

• The Ruby Red season started in a limited manner this week
• Supplies are currently crossing through South Texas
• Expect 40- through 56-count fruit to dominate the crop
• Good quality has been reported

South Africa

• Limited supplies are available on the West Coast
• The season is past its peak
• Quality is good; some scarring has been reported
• Expect 40-count fruit to dominate the crop

Green Leaf, Iceberg, and Romaine

• Markon First Crop (MFC) Premium Green Leaf, Iceberg, and Romaine are limited in Huron and Salinas, California; Markon Best Available (MBA) is being substituted as needed due to low weights
• Supply levels are lower than in prior weeks
  • Growers in Huron and the Salinas Valley are harvesting remaining acreage ahead of the move to the Arizona/California desert region in early to mid-November
  • Oxnard will supplement iceberg and romaine supplies as needed until the desert season is underway
  • The short Oxnard season will continue through mid-November
• Quality is fair
  • Disease pressure, fringe burn, insect damage, and seeder are present in most fields
  • Markon Quality Assurance is working closely with growers to identify the best lots
• Prices are slightly higher; expect active markets until the Arizona/California desert regions ramp up in mid- to late November

Mixed Berries

Blueberry supplies from Peru have been delayed due to recent hurricanes. Blackberry volume is limited. Raspberry stocks are increasing.

Blueberries

• Demand exceeds current availability
• The Pacific Northwest season has ended
• Peruvian imports have begun
• Quality is good
• Expect tight supplies and steady to slightly higher pricing

Blackberries

• California stocks are insufficient
• Mexican yields are beginning to increase
• Quality is fair; soft skins and red cells have been reported
• Supplies will increase by the end of next week
• Pricing will remain elevated

Raspberries

• Mexico’s Baja season has ended
• Supplies are increasing out of Central Mexico; stocks will increase throughout the month
• Quality is average; issues include leaky berries with light crumbling (individual cells separate from the berry)

• Demand is steady

Onions

Prices are escalating due to strong demand for Northwestern storage stocks. Expect the market to climb further as the holiday season nears.

• MFC Onions continue to ship from Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Utah, and Colorado

• Quality is excellent
• All colors are shipping out of the Pacific Northwest, Utah, and Colorado
• Red and yellow onions are available in Michigan; medium-size supplies dominate the crop
• New York is shipping red and yellow stocks; white onions are not available

Oranges

Growers have begun shipping new crop California Navels in a limited manner this week. Large-size oranges (56- through 88-count fruit) will be limited, but better availability is forecast once the harvest is in full swing.

California  

• MFC and Markon Essentials (ESS) Navel Oranges are available 
• Large sizes (56- and 88-count fruit) are limited; smaller sizes (113- and 138-count fruit) are plentiful
• Expect to make size and grade substitutions on large sizes to fill orders in full

• Navel quality is good; light-colored fruit has been reported

• Valencia quality is fair; early decay and scarring are being reported
• Expect easing markets and increased supplies

Mexico

• The season is in full swing; (supplies are crossings into Texas)
• The Early seeded orange variety is being shipped through Edinburg, Texas
• Quality is good; yellow color has been reported
• Expect easing markets as the new crop California Navel season is underway

Florida

• The new crop Hamlin season has begun in a limited manner and will run through June 2024
• Supplies are dominated by 138-count and smaller sizes
• The majority of fruit will be choice and standard grades

Texas

• Oranges will begin shipping the week of November 13

• Navels will be the predominate variety on the market, but Early oranges will be available also

Strawberries

The California strawberry market is starting to rise. Quality is very good; the flavor profile is improving.

Santa Maria

• MFC Strawberries are available
• Quality is very nice; possible defects include misshaped berries and white shoulders
• Size ranges from 18 to 22 berries per 8/1-pound clamshell and 36-47 per 4/2-pound pack (small-medium to medium)
• Expect markets to increase

Oxnard

• Quality is good; defects include misshaped berries with light bruising
• Size ranges from medium to medium-plus
• Markets are climbing

Salinas/Watsonville

• Quality is average at best; bruising, white shoulders, and light mildew are being reported
• Size is currently 24 to 26 berries per 8/1-pound clamshell and 49 to 54 per 4/2-pound pack (small to small-medium)
• Harvesting is expected to continue through early November
• Expect rising prices

Mexico

• New crop harvesting has begun
• Crossings into South Texas will start in mid-November

Florida

• Production isn’t underway yet

• • The start date is delayed due to damages caused by Hurricane Milton
  • Harvesting is now expected to begin the last week of November

Tomatoes

Most tomato growers transition to new harvesting regions during late October. Devasting hurricanes greatly impacted crops and will significantly reduce availability in Florida through November and December. Expect very turbulent markets this fall season. MFC Tomatoes are available.

East Coast

• Yields are increasing in South Georgia and Quincy, Florida
• Category 3 Hurricane Milton pushed through Central Florida in early October, directly impacting Florida’s Ruskin and Palmetto growing regions
  • A 75-80% loss is forecast for the Ruskin/Palmetto season (mid-October to late November)
  • Some growers are enacting Act of God clauses on existing contracts due to the extreme damage
  • Growers are re-planting in Central Florida; expect increased volume in late December
  • Yields will be 20-25% below normal in Immokalee and South Florida
• Limited supplies will be available in Alabama and South Carolina
• Production is ending in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions due to falling temperatures
• Markets are poised to increase rapidly, as overall supply decreases over the next month

California

• Production in the San Joaquin Valley will end this week; expect very tight stocks through October
• Quality is merely average as plants are tired
• Round tomato supplies are extremely scarce

Mexico

• Previously inclement weather is reducing overall yields in Central and Eastern Mexico, with the exceptions of grape and cherry tomatoes, as new crop harvests are underway
• Baja production is up slightly
  • Additional growers are beginning fall harvesting
  • Quality is improving
  • All sizes are available
• Persistent water shortages are expected to impact the mainland season (Sinaloa/Culiacan) in late December

Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.

©2024 Markon Cooperative, Inc. All rights reserved.