Apples

Although lower volume is expected from the Washington and Michigan 2024-2025 apple crops, yields will remain above five-year averages. No shortages are foreseen.

Washington

• The Washington State Tree Fruit Association (WSTFA) projects approximately 124 million cases will be packed during the 2024-2025 season, down from 136 million cases in the 2023-2024 season
• Ample supplies should continue being shipped into the 2024-2025 season as growers experienced ideal conditions in the spring and summer months
• The upcoming crop will be normal in comparison to last year’s large crop

Michigan

• Growers will see a reduction of 15-20% from 2023; crop size will be in the 27-28 million case range
• Most varieties remain steady as the transition from storage crop to the early stages of new crop harvesting has been smooth
• Fuji apples will be more plentiful as compared to last season

Asparagus

Prices continue to rise amid tightening supplies and transitioning growing regions. Markon First Crop Asparagus (MFC) is available.

Mexico

• Central Mexican production is completely finished; Baja harvests will continue through October, before growers move to Sonora and Mexicali
• Quality and shelf-life potential are below average; stalks are exhibiting elevated levels of seeder/feathering tips caused by persistent heat
• Size distribution is heavily skewed towards the small spears; substituting small packs for standard or large sizes will yield considerable FOB cost savings
• Expect markets to soften towards the end of the month as additional fields open up and a slight cooling trend arrives

Peru

• Imported stocks (shipped into Miami, Florida) remain available on the East Coast
• Yields are low but steady, and will increase as the Southern Hemisphere enters spring

Avocado Supplies

Avocado supplies are increasing in Mexico. Prices for large sizes (32- to 48-count supplies) are inching down. The small-size market (60- to 70-count stocks) has fallen to average levels.

Mexico

• Large sizes (32- to 48-count supplies) are increasing, but remain limited
• Small sizes (60- to 70-count stocks) are becoming more plentiful
• Expect slowly declining markets over the next two weeks

California

• Yields continue to diminish week over week; the season will end in three weeks
• The crop is currently dominated by 48 count No. 1 grade fruit
• Quality is good; checkerboarding (uneven ripening) has been reported
• Expect high prices

Broccoli

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

• Markets are steady
  • California supplies are forecast to meet projected demand through September
  • Mexican stocks are sufficient
• A patchwork of varying quality exists among current fields
  • Varying levels of pin rot/brown bead, branching, hollow core, yellowing, and insect pressure persist
  • Field crews are selectively harvesting crowns to ensure uniformity and acceptable quality
• Regionally grown supplies are limited and being sold close to shipping points; the Eastern Canada, Maine, and New Jersey seasons are winding down but will continue for another two to three weeks
• Expect steady markets throughout September

Chipping Potatoes

New crop chipping potatoes are available in Idaho and Washington. The market is elevated due to strong demand.

New Crop

• Idaho supplies will be available through the end of May
  • Early yields are thin-skinned, resulting in occasional mechanical damage in pack-outs
  • Skin sets will improve over the next few weeks
• Washington supplies are available through mid-April
• New Mexico, Canada, and Colorado begin harvesting in early October

Cilantro

• Despite ample supplies in multiple California growing regions, persistent heat is hampering quality
  • Abnormally hot weather, leading to thick stems, wide leaves, seeder/bolting, damaged, yellow, and spotted leaves
  • Markon recommends ordering for short turns and maintaining lean inventories
• California temperatures will ease later this week, which will lead to improved quality by late September
• Expect prices to inch higher through the end of September

Green Leaf, Iceberg, and Romaine

Green Leaf and Romaine

• MFC Premium Green Leaf and Romaine are available; Markon Best Available (MBA) is being substituted as needed
• Supplies are sufficient, as Salinas growers harvest their final plantings for this Salinas season
  • Salinas will harvest through early November
  • Huron is scheduled to start in mid- to late October
  • The Arizona-California desert region will begin production in early to mid-November
• Salinas yields are trending down with disease pressure impacting various lots coupled with fewer hours of sunlight leading to slower rates of growth
• Quality is good; fringe burn, ribby texture, and seeder are present in some fields
• Expect steady to slightly higher markets through September

Iceberg

• MFC Premium Iceberg is available; MBA is being substituted as needed
• Supplies are abundant following a recent period of warmer weather; however, yields are lower as disease pressure increases and growth slows with fewer hours of sunlight per day
  • Salinas growers will harvest through early November
  • Huron is scheduled to start in mid- to late October
  • The Arizona-California desert region will begin production in early to mid-November
• Overall quality is strong; insect damage and sun scalding are present in some lots
• Expect low prices through September, with markets inching up in October as supplies decrease

Green Onions

Green onion prices remain elevated; supplies are extremely tight due to persistent heat in the primary growing region of Mexicali, Mexico.

• Ready-Set-Serve (RSS) Washed & Trimmed Green Onions are available
• Storm systems wiped out many mature lots four to five weeks ago
• Excessive heat has slowed the growth of younger plantings, keeping industry stocks limited
• A cooling trend is forecast to arrive next week, promoting better yields

• Expect markets to remain elevated through late September

Limes

Residual rains from Tropical Storm Francine will further drive up lime pricing in Veracruz, Mexico. MFC and Markon Essentials (ESS) Limes are available. 

Veracruz, Mexico (into South Texas)

• Persistent rains over the last several weeks are negatively impacting quality and reducing yields; prices are rising
• Expect elevated markets and limited supplies for the next two to three weeks
• New crop harvests are expected to begin in late September/early October
  • New crop supplies will initially peak on small-size fruit
  • Expect markets to ease starting with 230- and 250-count limes
• Markon recommends increased order lead time over the next two to three weeks to avoid loading delays

Santander, Colombia

• Limes are available for loading out of Florida; volume is slightly lower this week
• European demand has shifted towards Colombia because Brazil is enduring a historic drought
• Prices are rising, trailing slightly below Mexican fruit costs
• Quality is good; occasional scarring and light color is being reported
• Expect markets to rise over the next two to three weeks in reaction to increased demand

Mixed Berries

Blueberry supplies will be limited through early October and prices are rising. Blackberry and raspberry supplies are also limited.

Blueberries

• Mexican supplies are not meeting demand
• Quality is good
• The Pacific Northwest season is wrapping up
• Offshore shipments will increase by late September
• Expect rising markets for the next month

Blackberries

• California supplies are insufficient
• Growers will begin shipping out of Central Mexico in early October
• Quality is fair; soft skins and red cells have been reported
• The Pacific Northwest season is ending
• Prices are elevated

Raspberries

• The season in Baja, Mexico is ending
• Growers will begin shipping out of Central Mexico in early October

• Quality is fair
• Demand is steady

Oranges

California’s available Valencia supply continues to diminish; several major growers have already ended their season, and more will end over the next few weeks. Markon expects California to experience a supply gap in October that will last until the Navel seasons begins in late October/early November.

California  

• MFC and ESS Valencia Oranges are available
• Expect to make size and grade substitutions to fill orders
• Quality is fair, at best
• New crop California Navels will begin shipping in late October
• Expect elevated markets for the remainder of the Valencia season

Chile

• Oranges are being imported into both the East and West Coasts
• Expect imported supplies to tighten as they are filling the void from California

• Quality is great
• Expect rising markets as supplies diminish

Mexico

• The season will begin in early November
• The Early orange seedless variety will be available in both McAllen, Texas and Nogales, Arizona

Texas

• Oranges will begin shipping in early November
• Navels will be the predominate variety available, but Early oranges will be on the market also

Florida

• New crop fruit will start shipping in late October
• Supplies are expected to be dominated by 100- to 125-count and larger packs
• The majority of fruit will be choice and standard grades

Pears

The California pear season will wind down in mid-October. New crop Washington Bartlett harvesting has started; supplies are sufficient. Expect lower volume and higher prices than in past years; the crop will be dominated by large sizes.

California

• The Lake County and Mendocino growing regions will harvest through October
• Volume is approximately 20% lower volume than last year
• Processor demand (canning) is down, allowing more availability for the fresh market
• California suppliers ship 36-pound volume-filled packs; Washington suppliers use 44-pound cartons packed by count
• Due to this discrepancy, California ships approximately six to ten fewer pieces of fruit per unit compared to Washington

Oregon/Washington

• Due to freezing spring temperatures, 2024 Northwest volume is down approximately 30%

• Wenatchee District North yields are down 60%
• Yakima South yields are down 12%

• Expect tight supplies of 110-count and smaller fruit; 80- to 100-count sizes will dominate these crops
• Suppliers pack and sell by the count as opposed to the volume-fill method used in California

Potatoes

New crop, fresh-run MFC Norkotah Potatoes are available in Idaho and Washington. Expect the market to stay soft for large-size cartons.

Idaho & Washington

• Profile is peaking on larger sizes (40- through 70-count)
• Supply is tight for 80- through 120-count stocks

Colorado & Nebraska

• Producing great mixer volume for all sizes

Quality

• Fresh-run quality is excellent; light skinning and excess moisture will be observed in the fresh-run potatoes
  • Potatoes release moisture as they cool, this gives the potato a wet look and can cause a white blush to develop on the surface that can be easily brushed off
  • The white blush will evaporate as the potatoes dry and does not pose any quality or food safety concerns
• New crop potatoes have not gone through the “sweat” process yet
  • The “sweat” process allows field heat to leave the potatoes (which causes the release of moisture), putting them in dormancy, which prevents sprouting from occurring during the early months of storage

• U.S. No. 2 production will be extremely limited
  • Fresh-run Norkotah quality is strong; No. 2 supplies will increase once potatoes are shipped out of storage
  • Pricing will remain firm for the next few months

Tropical Storm Francine

Tropical Storm Francine, currently located in the western Gulf of Mexico, is expected to strengthen into a hurricane later today. The storm is traveling in a northeastern pattern and expected to make landfall on Wednesday somewhere along the Louisiana coastline. The brunt of the storm is expected to bring 4-12 inches of rain and damaging winds to the regions of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and potentially as far east as the Florida panhandle.

• Earlier this week, Tropical Storm Francine already brought bands of heavy rains to the main lime growing regions in Vera Cruz, Mexico, elevating markets
• Expect transportation delays in Eastern Texas, Louisiana, and other southeastern states later this week
• The Midwest will experience moderate to high inclement weather heading into the weekend which could delay summer vegetable production schedules
• Markon will continue to monitor and update as more information becomes available

Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.

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