Baby Tuscan Lettuce

Markon First Crop (MFC) Baby Tuscan Lettuce supplies are extremely limited.

• The first crop of baby Tuscan lettuce was planted on schedule (mid-September in California’s Imperial Valley)
• Approximately two weeks later, California’s Imperial Valley growing region received a torrential rain and hail event, damaging the young crop and reducing stands by approximately 50%
• Suppliers are struggling to adequately fill current demand as they work through the impacted fields
• Limited supplies are expected until the week of January 9, when growers are able to enter second plantings unaffected by rain and hail storms
• Markon is working to recover with other baby lettuce varieties; suppliers are all struggling with harvestable volumes due to crop loss following the rain and hail event

Broccoli

Imperial Valley, California/Yuma, Arizona/Northern Baja, Mexico

• The majority of orders are being filled in part or in full with packer label
• Yields are down amid cold weather
• Markets are elevated
• Low nighttime temperatures are decreasing crown maturation/reducing harvestable product per acre
• Value-added broccoli will contain smaller and tighter florets
• Good color, but smaller crown sizes and potential for mildew will persist into early January

Mexico (into South Texas)

• The price spread between Mexico and AZ/CA is closing, as FOBs are rising
  • Some suppliers are transferring product to Yuma to help meet demand
  • Quality is fair; elevated mechanical damage has been noted

Cauliflower

Imperial Valley and Santa Maria, California/Yuma, Arizona/Northern Baja, Mexico

• • The majority of orders are being filled in part or in full with packer label
  • Prices have remained elevated due to tight supplies

• • Quality is below average
  • Brown and black spotting and discoloration have increased industrywide
• Suppliers are cutting ahead of scheduled acreage to compensate for slow growth
  • 12-count packs remain limited on the open market
  • Substituting 16-count packs will help to increase order fill rate as growers are forced to harvest and pack product from immature fields

Celery

• Oxnard, California is the primary growing region; disease (fusarium) pressure is dramatically reducing harvestable yields
• The Salinas, California season has ended
• Santa Maria, California harvest will continue year-round
• Arizona and California desert production is underway
• Florida production has started; size profile is currently small and production will not ramp up to normal outputs until early January
• Despite multiple areas harvesting, expect elevated markets into January due to limited supplies in California and Florida’s season just beginning

Christmas and New Year’s Day Schedule 2022-2023

The Markon office will observe the Christmas and New Year‘s Day holidays. We will be closed on Saturday, December 24, Monday, December 26, Saturday, December 31 and Monday, January 2. Most suppliers will have limited loading hours on Saturday, December 24 and 31, as well as Monday, December 26 and Monday, January 2. Normal loading will resume on Tuesday both weeks.

All times listed below are Pacific Standard Time (PST).

Christmas Eve/Day

• Idaho, Oregon, and Washington onion and potato suppliers will be closed on Saturday, December 24; most will also be closed Monday December 26 with normal shipping hours resuming on Tuesday, December 27
• All Arizona, California, East Coast, and South Texas suppliers will be closed on Sunday, December 25; no loading will be available

• • Most suppliers will have limited loading hours on Saturday, December 24 and Monday, December 26
  • Normal loading hours will resume on Tuesday, December 27; trucks must call ahead for appointments

• Misionero will close at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 24 and remain closed on Sunday, December 25
  • They will re-open Monday, December 26 at 9 a.m. for appointment loading
• Taylor Farms will be closed on Christmas Day, December 25
  • Saturday, December 24 will have limited hours and load by appointment only; trucks must call ahead for appointments
  • Monday, December 26 (Federal Holiday) will have limited loading hours on a first come first serve basis
  • Normal shipping hours will resume on Tuesday, December 27

• 4-Earth Farms will be open until 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 24 and will open again at 10:00pm on Sunday, December 25

• Normal loading hours will resume on Monday, December 26

• Please see attached matrix for details about order placement deadlines

New Year’s Eve/Day

• Idaho, Oregon, and Washington onion and potato suppliers will be closed on Saturday, December 31; most will also be closed Monday, January 2 with normal shipping hours resuming on Tuesday, January 3
• All Arizona, California, East Coast, and South Texas suppliers will be closed on New Year’s Day, January 1; no loading will be available

• • Most suppliers will have limited loading hours on Saturday, December 31 and Monday, January 2
  • Normal loading hours will resume on Tuesday, January 3; trucks must call ahead for appointments

• Misionero will close at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 31 and remain closed on Sunday, January 1

• • They will re-open Monday, January 2 at 9 a.m. for appointment loading
• Taylor Farms will be closed on New Year’s Day, January 1
  • Saturday, December 31 will have limited hours and load by appointment only
  • Trucks must call ahead for appointments
  • Monday, January 2 (Federal Holiday) will have limited hours loading on a first come first serve basis
  • Normal shipping hours will resume on Tuesday, January 3
• 4-Earth Farms will be open until 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 31 and will open again at 10:00pm on Sunday, January 1
  • Normal hours will resume on Monday, January 2
• Please see attached matrix for details about order placement deadlines

FROM THE FIELDS: Desert Region Weather

A cold front passed through the region last week pushing morning temperatures down into the low to mid-30°s creating lettuce ice events. Remnants of the cold front were felt over the weekend, with lettuce ice appearing each morning. Harvesting delays of up to three hours continue this morning, potentially creating loading delays.

Forecast calls for weather to warm up with a light breeze this week. Temperatures may reach high 60°s to low 70°s during the day and nights dipping into low to mid-40°s in the region. Although we will see fewer ice events this week, the effects of all the preceding ice events will be felt for the next several weeks.

Green Leaf, Iceberg, and Romaine

Supplies are increasing in the Arizona and California desert growing regions.

Green Leaf

• MFC Premium Green Leaf is readily available out of the Arizona and California Desert growing region
• Quality is very good; wind and lettuce ice damage, on outer leaves, is being trimmed during harvest
• Markets are weaker and will continue to decline in the coming weeks
• Supplies out of Florida are ample and will continue through early April, baring a weather event
• Expect the market to remain weak as supplies pick up in California and Arizona

Iceberg

• MFC Premium Iceberg is sporadic in the Arizona and California Desert growing region; Markon Best Available (MBA) is being substituted as needed due to low case weights
• Quality is good; epidermal blister and peel is being observed in some lots due to lettuce ice events
• Weights have improved from prior weeks, but are anticipated to decline next week due to multiple days of lettuce ice
• Despite continued cold weather, markets are weaker as supplies are picking up and getting closer to meeting demand
  • Warmer weather is forecast in Yuma over the next 7 to 10 days; favorable growing temperatures will promote growth
• Iceberg is also available in South Texas; prices are slightly weaker and will continue to follow the California/Arizona markets
• Florida supplies are limited and not expected to increase until mid-January

Romaine

• MFC Premium Romaine is being packed regularly in the Arizona and California Desert growing regions; MBA is being substituted as needed due to low case weights
• Quality is very good; fringe burn and epidermal blister/peel are present in some lots
• Markets will weaken further as supplies pick up in California and Arizona
• Florida supplies are ample and will be available through April, barring a weather event

Idaho Potatoes

Extremely low temperatures persist in Eastern and Southern Idaho.

• Temperatures need to be 18°F or higher for five to seven hours to haul potatoes from cellars to packing sheds
• Suppliers do not haul potatoes to packing sheds when temperatures are below 18°F to avoid freezing raw product
• Expect reduced production and delayed loading
• Many suppliers will utilize onsite storage to cover orders; sizing may be limited

Limes

The market continues to rise due to decreased harvesting during the holidays and cooler weather in the main growing region. MFC and Markon Essentials (ESS) Limes are available.

• Low temperatures and rain in Mexico continue to impact harvesting and stunt growth, reducing yields and tightening supplies
• Many growers are not expected to harvest Friday, December 23 and Monday, December 26 due to the Christmas holiday; Markon recommends allowing for increased order lead times over the next three weeks to ensure coverage

• Overall quality is good
• Prices are expected to continue climbing into the month of January

Northwest Onion & Potato Holiday Loading Hours

Northwest onion and potato suppliers will be closed Saturday through Monday for the next two weeks, (12/24-12/26 and 12/31-1/2), in observance of the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.

• Suppliers will be operating with regular loading hours on the Fridays leading up to the holidays, December 23 and December 30
• Carriers are strongly advised to call packing sheds in advance for product availability and loading appointments
• Advanced order lead time is highly recommended for order fulfillment
• Adverse weather is forecast in much of the Northwest for the next few weeks, which will affect outbound trucks
• Tuesday, December 27 and January 3 will be very slow loading days as suppliers will not produce over the holiday weekends

Pears

MFC Pears are readily available. Washington and Oregon D ’Anjou pears will be available through August. Washington Bartlett supplies will be depleted by the end of January.

• D ‘Anjou pear quality is excellent
  • U.S. No. 1 grade supplies are ample; fewer fancy grade apples are on the market
  • Size is dominated by 80- through 100-count fruit; small sizes (120- and 135-count pears) are adequate
• Bartlett pear quality is beginning to decline in remaining stocks
  • Cold, rainy, and snowy weather this past spring affected the fruit during the early growth process
  • Soft fruit with dark spots are being seen in pack outs

Strawberries  

The Santa Maria, California season is wrapping up. Supplies continue to increase in South Texas and Florida, helping supplement orders.

Santa Maria, California

• Quality challenges persist; concerns include excessive bruising and pin rot
• Volume will decline until the season ends in the next two to three weeks
• Packer label will be substituted as needed; plastic clamshells will be substituted for the corrugated packs
• Growers will transfer Mexican-grown fruit to supplement their California shipments through early January

Oxnard, California

• Quality continues to be a challenge; concerns include excessive bruising and pin-rot
• Packer label will be substituted as needed; plastic clamshells will be substituted for the corrugated packs
• Growers will be transferring Mexican-grown fruit to supplement their California shipments through early January
• New crop harvesting is expected to begin in early January

Central Mexico (Loading in South Texas)

• Mexican production is increasing
• Fruit is being used to supplement orders during the California shortage
• Quality is good; issues include white shoulders and occasional overripening
• Expect to see markets decline as production moves into full swing

Florida

MFC Strawberries are available.  

• Rain and cold weather is expected over the next 7-10 days, slowing harvests
• The season is expected to reach its peak by late December
• Early quality is good; expect small-to-medium size fruit
• Expect to see markets slowly decline as this region reaches its peak

Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.

©2022 Markon Cooperative, Inc. All rights reserved.