Asparagus

• Markon First Crop (MFC) Asparagus is available
• Demand is up as the holiday pull continues
• Constitution is currently the primary growing region in Mexico
  • Caborca production has started in a light way but will not yield significant volume until mid-January; the season will run through April
  • The Mexicali harvest is scheduled to begin in late December and run through late January
• Peruvian volume is steady (into Miami, Florida)
• Expect higher prices for the next 10-14 days until holiday demand subsides and Mexicali production begins

Brussels Sprouts

• Salinas and Santa Maria are the primary growing regions
• Some growers have started harvesting in Mexico but the majority of production is delayed until the week of December 20 due to cold weather
• Current size profile is dominated by small and medium; jumbo sizes are extremely limited
• Overall quality is good: insect damage and discoloration are present in some lots
• Expect elevated prices to continue for the next two to three weeks until holiday demand subsides and Mexican volume ramps up

Cantaloupe and Honeydew Melons

Mexico

• Production is focused on medium (12-count) and large (5-count) fruit
• Overall quality is good: softness is affecting some lots as recent warm weather in the growing region has accelerated growth
• Demand is moderate; supplies are forecast to remain adequate through the season
• Honeydew markets are expected to inch up over the next seven days; cantaloupe prices will remain steady

Central America

• Cantaloupe supplies are adequate; honeydew stocks are limited
• Quality is good
  • Cantaloupe supplies are dominated by 12-count fruit
  • Honeydew is dominated by very large stocks, which is not ideal for foodservice
  • 5-count honeydews will increase over the next two weeks
• Demand is moderate
• Markets are expected to remain steady to slightly higher

Celery

• MFC Celery is available
• Oxnard and Santa Maria, California are the primary growing regions in December
  • Rain totals ranging from 1”-2” limited production yesterday in both regions
  • Most growers are back to harvesting today, although some Oxnard growers sustained significant crop damage due to flooding caused by excessive rain and a canal breach
  • Additionally, some Oxnard lots scheduled for harvest in late December have been impacted by fusarium and insect pressure, reducing expected yields
• Ready-Set-Serve Celery
  • Growers have expressed concern about meeting RSS Celery demand due to reduced raw product
  • Your Markon representative will continue to communicate through the week, as damage is still being assessed
• The Florida season will begin in late December and run through April
• Yuma, Arizona harvesting will start in late December/early January and ship through mid- to late March
• Markets are expected to remain active through December at minimum

Grapes Transitioning to Offshore Fruit

• Packer label green seedless grapes are forecast to begin shipping week of January 3, 2022
• Packer label red seedless grapes will enter the market the week of January 10, 2022, followed by Markon Essentials Green/Red Seedless Grapes in mid-February
• Packer label Lunch Bunch Grapes will begin shipping January 17, 2022; MFC Lunch Bunch Grapes will become available the second week of February

Northwest Onion and Potato Holiday Loading Hours

• On Christmas and New Year’s Eve, most sheds will be working abbreviated hours; a few sheds will be closed
• All sheds will be closed on Christmas and New Year’s Day
• Important to note: Monday, December 27 and January 3 will be very slow loading days as suppliers will not produce over the holidays or weekends

Strawberries

Santa Maria, California

• Many growers have shut down for the season
• Quality in remaining fruit will be challenged; concerns include excessive bruising and pin rot
• Growers will be transferring Mexican-grown fruit to supplement their California orders through January

Oxnard, California

• Suppliers are assessing rain damage this afternoon
• Do not expect an increase in production until early January, depending on weather
• Growers will be transferring Mexican-grown fruit to supplement their California shipments through January

Central Mexico (Loading in South Texas)

• Production is ramping up
• Demand is very strong
• Quality is good: size ranges from 22- to 24-count berries
• MFC Strawberries are forecast to start shipping the week of December 20

 Florida

• Supplies are slowly ramping up and will continue to increase through December
• MFC Strawberries should begin shipping the week of December 20

Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.

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