Green Leaf, Iceberg, and Romaine

• Markon First Crop (MFC) Premium Iceberg is sporadic due to low weights; Markon Best Available is being substituted as needed
• MFC Premium Green Leaf and Romaine are available
• Overall quality is very good: mildew pressure is present in some lots
• Yuma green leaf, iceberg, and romaine production has started and will continue to ramp up as more growers break into fields next week
• Salinas Valley production is winding down; the majority of growers will conclude their season this week
• Huron iceberg production will continue through the end of next week
• Expect pricing to continue easing as Yuma production increases

Idaho Potatoes

Norkotahs

• MFC Norkotah Potatoes are readily available
• 70- to 100-count packs will be tight through December
• Prices for all sizes are expected to continue climbing
• Quality is very good

Burbanks

• MFC Burbank Potatoes are readily available
• The overall crop profile is small (dominated by 80-count and smaller potatoes)
• High prices are forecast through December
• Quality is strong

Limited Chile Supplies

• The Baja peninsula chile season is quickly ending; fruit quality is degrading due to the age of the plants
• The states of Sonora and Sinaloa, Mexico’s next growing region for chiles experienced severe storms in early fall that affected plant maturity
  • Supplies are extremely tight
  • Quality is marginal
  • Several growers in Southern Sinaloa are replanting after suffering torrential tropical rains several weeks ago
• Georgia has experienced cooler weather, reducing jalapeno volume
• Florida jalapeno harvests are slowly starting this week; however, specialty chiles are not expected until the Plant City season begins in two weeks
• Expect high prices over the next two to three weeks

Melons

• The primary domestic growing region of Brawley, California and Yuma, Arizona is ending earlier than normal

• • The season was expected to end the week of November 15
  • Quality is average with the occasional ground spotting and green tinge on both varieties
• Mexico is providing additional supply crossing through Nogales, Arizona
  • Supplies are very low on Cantaloupe and average on Honeydews
  • Quality is good
• Central American offshore stocks are expected to arrive earlier than normal this year
  • Stocks will be available in Florida the week of November 15
  • West coast will have their first arrival the week of November 22

Onions

• Yellow onion demand has increased as the Thanksgiving holiday nears
  • Expect prices for medium and jumbo sizes to inch up
  • A significant price gap of $6.00 to $9.00 remains between medium and jumbo packs
• Demand for red onions is strong; expect elevated markets
• MFC Red and Yellow Onion quality is excellent
  • Supplies possess solid, globe-like shape and firm texture
  • Size is on the small side, with the crop dominated by mediums
• Packer label onions are also being shipped out of Colorado

Strawberries

Santa Maria, California

• Growers continue culling rain-damaged fruit; as a result, production is down over 50% in some fields
• Quality concerns include bruising and water damage
• Expect volume to decline through the Thanksgiving holiday

Oxnard, California

• Stocks are increasing slowly
• Oxnard fruit is estimated to start shipping the week of January 3

Central Mexico

• Production has begun in a limited way; rain and cooler temperatures have impacted supply levels
• Expect berry size and crop volume to increase gradually over the next two to three weeks
• Berries will begin to cross into McAllen, Texas, in late November/early December

 Florida

• Production will begin after Thanksgiving in a very light manner
• Orders are estimated to begin shipping the week of December 6

Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.

©2021 Markon Cooperative, Inc. All rights reserved.