Bell Peppers

The California desert green bell pepper season will start over the next week. Markon First Crop (MFC) and Markon Essentials (ESS) Green and Red Bell Peppers are available.

Green Bells

• Mexican supplies are adequate; however, quality is decreasing due to older crops
  • Medium and small sizes are dominant
  • Thin walls are prevalent this week
• The California desert production is limited to one grower this week
  • More will begin harvesting this weekend
  • Jumbo and extra-large peppers dominate early picks
• Florida has moderate volume; the Plant City season is well underway
• Expect slightly lower prices this week

Red Bells

• Mexico volume has decreased and quality is average at best
  • Scarring and chocolate color are seen in some choice-grade packs
• The Canadian greenhouse season is ramping up
  • Large sizes dominate availability
  • Quality is excellent
• Expect prices to decrease slightly

Brussels Sprouts

The market is rising; supplies crossing through the Mexican border have decreased significantly.

• Late-season quality issues including yellowing/off color, bolting, and higher insect pressure have reduced yields at the field level in Mexico
• Value-added supplies will be particularly affected as high-grade sprouts are needed for processing and are increasingly rare at this time
• Product will continue to cross from Mexico until California production begins:
  • The Oxnard start date has been pushed from early May to the end of the month as the cold winter limited vegetative growth
  • Salinas Valley production is slated to begin in July but could also be delayed one to two weeks if there isn’t a significant warming trend through late spring
• Expect firm markets for the next 14-21 days as demand remains strong and supplies diminish

Chipping potato

Storage supplies continue to tighten. New crop harvesting typically begins early June in California.

Storage crop

• Current demand is overwhelming suppliers with remaining volume; suppliers will distribute limited storage supplies until new crop starts
• Quality continues to weaken in finished pack-outs
  • External defects exceeding the USDA standard tolerance of 10 percent will be seen
  • Internal defects surpassing 5 percent the USDA tolerance will also be present
• Suppliers are sorting through product that would normally be culled out in order to fulfill orders
• Operators may consider shifting to gold/yellow or Russet potatoes until new crop chipping potatoes become available
• Remaining stocks will exhibit multiple quality concerns including discoloration, thin skins, pressure and shoulder bruising, and mixed sizing

New Crop

• California is expected to begin harvesting in early June
• Arizona’s production will start by early July
• New Mexico will harvest in mid-August

Idaho Potatoes

Sufficient supplies of MFC Idaho Burbank and Norkotah Potatoes are available.

Storage Crop

• Large sizes (40- through 50-count stocks) continue to tighten; 90- through 100-count sizes are readily available
• Quality remains great for both varieties; pack-outs favor No. 1 quality, with limited No. 2 availability
• Prices are expected to climb as Norkotah stocks wind down through May; Burbanks will be the sole variety for the rest of the season
• Suppliers continue to reduce production schedules to avoid a supply gap between this crop and next year’s season (2023-24)
• Advanced lead time is highly recommended for order fulfillment
• Limited Burbank stocks are expected to ship through mid- to late July

Limes

Markets are easing as supplies increase in Veracruz, Mexico. MFC and ESS Limes are available.

• New crop supplies are dominated by 200- to 250-count sizes; these prices are substantially lower
• Large size/110- to 150-count stocks remain tight but are slowly increasing; prices are inching down
• Overall quality remains good; oil spotting and scarring are occasional issues
• Expect strong demand next week leading into the Cinco De Mayo holiday
• Prices are expected to trend downward through the month of May as new crop supplies increase

Mixed Berries

Blueberry supplies are increasing slightly; markets remain elevated. Raspberry stocks are expected to become tight over the next two weeks.

Blueberries

• The primary growing region of Central Mexico is past its peak; stocks are diminishing
• Baja volume will continue to increase as the season progresses
• Production is ramping up in Florida and Georgia
• California growers will begin harvesting next week; expect low volume to start
• Prices will remain elevated until yields increase in Georgia, Southern California, and Florida in early May

Raspberries

• Yields out of Central Mexico will remain flat for the next two weeks before down trending
• Baja volume is climbing
• Expect ample stocks in Oxnard, California in late May
• California growers will begin harvests next week; supplies will be tight at first
• Pricing will begin to increase slowly as Central Mexico yields fall

Blackberries

• Expect to see yields gradually decline as Central Mexico is off peak production
• Other Mexican growing regions will be in peak production over the next two weeks
• Supplies will slowly decrease through May until the California season begins in late May

Onions

MFC Onions will hit the market this week in the California desert region. The MFC Idaho/Oregon storage onion season has ended.  

Storage Crop

• MFC Idaho/Oregon-grown Onion supplies have been depleted
• Washington-grown MFC Onions will ship through the end of April  
• Sufficient supplies of red and yellow onions are available; yellow super colossal onions will be limited in remaining stocks
• Prices remain steady despite limited volume

New Crop

California

• • Red and Yellow MFC Onions will begin shipping this week out of the Imperial Valley
  • Pricing is expected to mirror Texas price levels
  • Central and Northern California production is expected to begin early June

South Texas

• • Texas-grown MFC Red and Yellow Onions supplies are adequate
  • Texas onions will ship into late May
  • Prices are steady due to stagnant demand

New Mexico

• • MFC Onion harvesting will begin in early June

Pineapple

Supplies are scarce in Costa Rica and Mexico. Volume will remain limited through the month of May.

• Supplies into the West Coast and Texas will remain limited through May
• East Coast volume will remain low through mid-May
• Expect limited production of large-size fruit; seven-count pineapples are the most readily available
• Demand will strengthen in late April/early May in preparation for the Mother’s Day holiday
• Prices will climb; size substitutions may become necessary to fill orders

Strawberries

Supplies continue to increase; demand remains strong. Expect steady markets for the next seven to ten days.

Santa Maria/Oxnard, California 

• MFC Strawberries are available
• Mother’s Day pull kicks off next week on April 30 and runs through May 13

• Volume is anticipated to increase this week as favorable growing weather is forecasted
• Quality is good; some green shoulders have been reported
• Expect steady markets and good supplies for the next seven to ten days

Salinas/Watsonville

• As a result of historical early season rains, no harvesting has begun in this growing region as the season is still four to five weeks behind schedule
• Expect minimum harvest to begin in mid-to-late April
• The season is not expected to ramp up until mid-May

Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.

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