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Mexico’s 2026 tomato production is forecast at 2.6 million metric tons (MMT), a 9 percent decrease
from 2025, according to a report from the USDA.
This is mainly a result of the continued imposition of a 17 percent antidumping duty on U.S.
imports of Mexican tomatoes, reduced profit margins for producers, and weather conditions. This
reduction in production is expected to contribute to a forecasted 9 percent decrease in tomato exports to
1.8 MMT in 2026. The United States remains Mexico’s top export market for tomatoes, typically
importing over 90 percent of Mexico’s exportable supply.
Mexican tomato production is expected to continue the downward trend that began in 2023. For calendar
year (CY) 2026, tomato production is forecast to decrease 9 percent to 2.6 MMT. This is mainly a result
of ongoing market disruptions (including the 17 percent antidumping duty on U.S. imports of Mexican
tomatoes), reduced profit margins for producers, and unfavorable weather conditions. Planted area is
forecast at 38,000 hectares for CY 2026, an 11 percent decrease from CY 2025. Post also expects a
reduction in area dedicated to open skies planting in favor of shifting production to protected systems,
including greenhouses and shaded structures.
In July 2025, the U.S. government terminated the 2019 suspension agreement with Mexico and imposed
an antidumping duty of 17.09 percent on most Mexican fresh tomato imports. This duty, combined with
the appreciation of the Mexican peso in 2025 and early 2026, has squeezed profit margins for many
Mexican tomato producers and exporters. The value of the Mexican peso increased by 14 percent in
2025 and 2 percent through April 2026. Mexican tomato exports typically enter the U.S. market through
negotiated contracts in fixed U.S. dollar (USD) prices or the spot market. The peso appreciation has
reduced the number of pesos Mexican exporters receive for each dollar of tomato sales to international
markets. According to industry reports, these factors have also led to some consolidation in the market
and growers transitioning to other crops in the face of uncertainty.
Mexico produces tomatoes in 31 out of 32 states and utilizes three production methods for tomatoes:
open skies (low tech), shaded infrastructure with some automatic irrigation (medium tech), and
greenhouse and substrate production with advanced irrigation (high tech). Protected agriculture (medium
and high tech) is the main mechanism for tomato production in Mexico, representing about 65 percent of
total production. Low tech producers obtain between 45 to 75 MT per hectare. Medium tech offers
yields that reach an estimated 140 to 215 MT per hectare. High tech producers (especially the specialty
In July 2025, the U.S. government terminated the 2019 suspension agreement with Mexico and imposed
an antidumping duty of 17.09 percent on most Mexican fresh tomato imports. This duty, combined with
the appreciation of the Mexican peso in 2025 and early 2026, has squeezed profit margins for many
Mexican tomato producers and exporters. The value of the Mexican peso increased by 14 percent in
2025 and 2 percent through April 2026. Mexican tomato exports typically enter the U.S. market through
negotiated contracts in fixed U.S. dollar (USD) prices or the spot market. The peso appreciation has
reduced the number of pesos Mexican exporters receive for each dollar of tomato sales to international
markets. According to industry reports, these factors have also led to some consolidation in the market
and growers transitioning to other crops in the face of uncertainty.
Mexico produces tomatoes in 31 out of 32 states and utilizes three production methods for tomatoes:
open skies (low tech), shaded infrastructure with some automatic irrigation (medium tech), and
greenhouse and substrate production with advanced irrigation (high tech). Protected agriculture (medium
and high tech) is the main mechanism for tomato production in Mexico, representing about 65 percent of
total production. Low tech producers obtain between 45 to 75 MT per hectare. Medium tech offers
yields that reach an estimated 140 to 215 MT per hectare. High tech producers (especially the specialty
tomatoes growers) can obtain between 250 and 300 MT per hectare. The most advanced production
methods include greenhouse infrastructure, controlled climate, substrate as a soil, and drip irrigation
with minerals that support ideal plant growth.
Mexico produces a broad range of tomato varieties that are ripened on the vine, including traditional
varieties (Round and Roma) and specialty varieties (Cherry, Grape, and Heirloom).
Produce marketing firm Fresh Farms with offices in Rio Rico, AZ and Kingsburg, CA is entering the Baja tomato season on a good footing, aligning seamlessly with the end of the Sonora crop. This strategic transition allows the company to maintain consistent supply while capitalizing on favorable growing conditions in Baja, where growing weather has been optimal.
In a press release, the company explained that, unlike various key growing regions across the US and Mexico, where weather remains a crucial factor affecting the market, Baja’s stable climate provides a strong foundation for high-quality production. This, they said, puts the firm in an advantageous position as the season begins.
Demand for premium tomatoes remains strong among Fresh Farms’ core customers, the firm said, with buyers opting for reliable suppliers capable of delivering consistent quality. The company expects to deliver just over 1 million cases of Roma tomatoes from late June through November.
“This volume outlook reflects both confidence in production and the ability to meet sustained customer demand throughout the season,” read the document.
According to the producer marketer, tomato markets have remained stable in recent weeks, providing a solid pricing environment.
Furthering an already positive outlook, ongoing weather challenges in other growing regions could tighten availability of high-quality tomatoes in the near future. This scenario, the company said, may strengthen its position, as consistent supply becomes increasingly valuable.
“We remain committed to its proven strategy: strengthening existing partnerships while actively developing new relationships, particularly along the US West Coast. By combining reliability, quality, and strategic growth, the company is well-positioned to deliver a successful and stable Baja tomato season,” the firm concluded.
As the summer berry season hits its stride, California Giant Berry Farms of Watsonville, CA is preparing for its annual transition to the Pacific Northwest (PNW) blueberry growing region. Harvesting in the PNW was right on track kicking off around mid-to-late June, paving the way for strong, promotable volumes spanning the month of July.
Meanwhile, the company is gearing up for the start of its blackberry and raspberry season from Watsonville, CA.
The upcoming Pacific Northwest harvest arrives at a time of peak consumer demand for fresh berries. The peak volumes align with July demand.
“Our Pacific Northwest growing regions are shaping up beautifully, and we anticipate an outstanding crop just in time for the heart of summer,” said Tom Smith, vice president of sales and marketing at California Giant Berry Farms.”
Alongside the conventional and organic blueberry volume, the GIANT™ jumbo blueberry program—featuring 20mm+ berries—continues to deliver strong retail performance, supporting premium price points and high-impact displays. With jumbo blueberries showing over 60 percent year-over-year growth (NIQ), the program offers retailers an opportunity to drive incremental sales and differentiate in a competitive category.
Watsonville Berries
Blackberry volumes are steadily ramping up towards a late-July peak while raspberry production is in its peak. “Our Watsonville blackberry and raspberry season is starting earlier than usual this year,” says Smith, adding that peak volume of raspberries is expected to continue through the next few months. “A warm winter and spring advanced plant development. We expect the season to run through November and then transition back to Mexico supply.”
While both berries are coming from Watsonville, along with Mexico, in early-August, San Diego, CA will also be providing a strong supply of organic blackberries.
The Washington State Tree Fruit Association’s storage report dated June 6 reveals Washington apples remaining in storage stand at approximately 35 million boxes, compared to 38 million boxes at the same time last year. However, inventory levels vary by variety. The reduced volume in certain varieties can be attributed to smaller crop yields and strong movement early in the season.
There is ample volume of varieties like Honeycrisp available across Washington State, according to Superfresh Growers of Yakima, WA.
Still, there are tighter supplies of Red Delicious and Gala apples compared to previous years. These reduced inventories are largely the result of crop size and steady movement throughout the season.
Superfresh Growers apples are harvested from throughout the Pacific Northwest, from northern Oregon to the southern Canadian border.
As for timing, the 2025-26 Washington apple season began on schedule, with Gala and Honeycrisp harvest starting in early August, with the other varieties following their typical harvest windows. As for the current crop, apples are expected to continue to ship until the transition to new-crop fruit, which begins in August via an expected smooth transition.
The company continues to ship all core apple varieties, including Gala, Fuji, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, and Red Delicious, as well as Cosmic Crisp® apples and its proprietary variety, Autumn Glory®, industry-wide, inventories are tighter for certain varieties than last year.
Growing conditions have been generally favorable across the company’s growing regions for the 2026-2027 apple crop.
Replacing solid snacks with small amounts of almonds can lead to healthier diets, especially for children and teenagers, according to a 2025 study.
Researchers from the Aix-Marseille Université in France and the University of Washington set out to assess the nutritional impact of replacing popular processed snack foods with 30 or 50 grams of almonds in the diets of children ages 4 through 19 and American adults.
“Our research found swapping sugary and/or salty snacks such as cookies, cakes, candy and chips for nutrient-rich almonds has great potential for increasing essential nutrients and lowering saturated fat, added sugars and sodium,” says Adam Drewnowski, Director of the Center for Public Health Nutrition at the University of Washington.
The study showed that the switch resulted in diets higher in protein, fiber, unsaturated fats, and magnesium, and lower in saturated fat, added sugars, and sodium, increasing overall diet quality, even without any other dietary changes.
The study, funded by the Almond Board of California, used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey collected between 2017 and 2023.
Researchers used computer-based simulations to test various scenarios. These included adding almonds to match for calories (adding enough nuts to match half or the total of a particular snack’s calories), or adding 30g or 50g of them without removing or changing any other element.
The researchers then assessed each scenario by evaluating nutrient density, excess nutrients, and adequacy of essential nutrients. The dataset was also analyzed based on overall compliance with the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), which were current at the time of the research.
On average, solid snacks provided 329 calories a day, just under 16 percent of the total energy requirements. Only 58 of those calories (less than three percent of the total) came from healthy snacks such as fruit, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and plain yogurt.
Replacing all solid snacks or even just half of the less healthy snacks with almonds brought diets closer to meeting DGA recommendations, with the greatest impact in children aged 4 to 13.
“These improvements were largely the result of significant drops in saturated fat, added sugars, sodium and refined grains,” said the Almond Board of California in a statement. “There were also significant increases in protein, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, fiber and magnesium.”
There was also an improvement in the nutrient density of diets without leading to weight gain, said the organization.
A 1-ounce serving of almonds provides six grams of protein, four grams of fiber, 13 grams of unsaturated fat, only one gram of saturated fat, and 15 essential nutrients, including magnesium, potassium, and vitamin E.
According to the research, while the greatest effects on diet quality were seen with the larger serving size, even the 30-gram portion led to significant improvements and moved diets closer to recommendations.
Despite the positive results, the Almond Board of California and the researchers were adamant that the study has limitations, as modeling studies based on existing data show associations but cannot prove cause and effect.
Bell peppers are seeing an abundance of supply right now for shipping.
Maui Fresh International LLC of Los Angeles reports colored bells are especially abundant. The company’s main commodity is bell peppers which it ships from throughout the U.S. as well as Mexico, Canada and the Netherlands.
This follows a winter that saw more limited supply due to not only freezing temperatures in Florida which affected that crop, but also a hot winter in Mexico.
As for this season, mild weather has contributed to a later start in regions such as Coachella. Additionally, the Canadian bell pepper season also saw a delayed start.
The delays were caused by overcast and rainy conditions, and now product is producing at the same time.
In California, Maui Fresh has production from Coachella, Bakersfield as well as Oxnard and Santa Maria.
Meanwhile demand continues to be steady. Pepper consumption generally stays even throughout the year with fixed contracting for top items such as choice greens and reds in foodservice and bagged peppers at retail.
The Chilean citrus export season is projected to see an increase, with the U.S. being the primary export market.
According to data provided by the Citrus Committee of industry body Frutas de Chile, the current campaign is set to grow six percent in volume, reaching 530 thousand tons. In 2025, the South American country shipped 499,204 tons of citrus to international markets.
Local industry news outlet Diario Frutícola reported that the sector has been experiencing sustained growth since 2022, driven by lemons and oranges and strengthened by the stability of mandarins.
The United States remains the main destination for Chilean citrus, accounting for 80 percent of exports.
According to data provided by Frutas de Chile, lemons should establish themselves this season as the fastest-growing category in the country’s citrus portfolio, with shipments set to reach 131,000 tons. This represents a 14 percent increase over the 115,050 tons exported in 2025.
Oranges are also on the rise and are projected to grow 10 percent compared to 2025, reaching 134 thousand tons.
For clementines, the estimate is 75,000 tons, representing a five percent increase over the previous season, when the sector exported 71,550 tons.
Meanwhile, mandarin exports are projected to remain stable, reaching 190,000 tons. The estimate is less than one percent above the 2025 total of 190,910 tons.
Approximately 70 percent of California’s cantaloupe crop is produced in the San Joaquin Valley, where harvest began June 29, which is right on schedule, notes Garrett Patricio, President of Classic Fruit Company of Fresno, CA and chairman of the California Cantaloupe Advisory Board, who stressed shippers are expecting promotable volume to be available by early July.
“The good news is that we expect strong cantaloupe volume beginning in early July and continuing throughout the remainder of the summer,” Patricio said. “Consumers and retailers can look forward to a steady supply of high-quality California cantaloupes once the San Joaquin Valley season gets underway.”
About 75 percent of all cantaloupes consumed in the United States are grown in California. As the San Joaquin Valley harvest gets underway, the California Cantaloupe Advisory Board is launching an expanded consumer marketing campaign designed to drive demand throughout the summer season.
In the meantime, unusual weather patterns severely impacted melon production in California’s Imperial Valley and the Yuma, Arizona growing region. Growers had extremely limited supplies of all melon varieties, including cantaloupe, during the last half of June.
The 250th anniversary, also called the Semiquincentennial, commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. This milestone offers an opportunity to reflect on the nation’s history, honor contributions of Americans past and present, and envision the future for the next generations.
Similar to a year ago, supplies of North Carolina sweet potato are tight in the final months of the 2025-26 shipping season.
Triple J Produce of Sims, NC reports volume close to that of last year.
Tight supply has also impacted exporting plans for sweet potatoes from the state, due to less volume and the need to supply domestic customers.
The lower supply traces back to sizing during the growing season. Cooler temperatures set in during October combined with a lack of rain resulting in the remaining part of the crop that hadn’t been harvested yet not sizing up. That part of the crop is shipping now.
Mexico’s 2026 tomato production is forecast at 2.6 million metric tons (MMT), a 9 percent decrease
from 2025, according to a report from the USDA.
This is mainly a result of the continued imposition of a 17 percent antidumping duty on U.S.
imports of Mexican tomatoes, reduced profit margins for producers, and weather conditions. This
reduction in production is expected to contribute to a forecasted 9 percent decrease in tomato exports to
1.8 MMT in 2026. The United States remains Mexico’s top export market for tomatoes, typically
importing over 90 percent of Mexico’s exportable supply.
Mexican tomato production is expected to continue the downward trend that began in 2023. For calendar
year (CY) 2026, tomato production is forecast to decrease 9 percent to 2.6 MMT. This is mainly a result
of ongoing market disruptions (including the 17 percent antidumping duty on U.S. imports of Mexican
tomatoes), reduced profit margins for producers, and unfavorable weather conditions. Planted area is
forecast at 38,000 hectares for CY 2026, an 11 percent decrease from CY 2025. Post also expects a
reduction in area dedicated to open skies planting in favor of shifting production to protected systems,
including greenhouses and shaded structures.
In July 2025, the U.S. government terminated the 2019 suspension agreement with Mexico and imposed
an antidumping duty of 17.09 percent on most Mexican fresh tomato imports. This duty, combined with
the appreciation of the Mexican peso in 2025 and early 2026, has squeezed profit margins for many
Mexican tomato producers and exporters. The value of the Mexican peso increased by 14 percent in
2025 and 2 percent through April 2026. Mexican tomato exports typically enter the U.S. market through
negotiated contracts in fixed U.S. dollar (USD) prices or the spot market. The peso appreciation has
reduced the number of pesos Mexican exporters receive for each dollar of tomato sales to international
markets. According to industry reports, these factors have also led to some consolidation in the market
and growers transitioning to other crops in the face of uncertainty.
Mexico produces tomatoes in 31 out of 32 states and utilizes three production methods for tomatoes:
open skies (low tech), shaded infrastructure with some automatic irrigation (medium tech), and
greenhouse and substrate production with advanced irrigation (high tech). Protected agriculture (medium
and high tech) is the main mechanism for tomato production in Mexico, representing about 65 percent of
total production. Low tech producers obtain between 45 to 75 MT per hectare. Medium tech offers
yields that reach an estimated 140 to 215 MT per hectare. High tech producers (especially the specialty
In July 2025, the U.S. government terminated the 2019 suspension agreement with Mexico and imposed
an antidumping duty of 17.09 percent on most Mexican fresh tomato imports. This duty, combined with
the appreciation of the Mexican peso in 2025 and early 2026, has squeezed profit margins for many
Mexican tomato producers and exporters. The value of the Mexican peso increased by 14 percent in
2025 and 2 percent through April 2026. Mexican tomato exports typically enter the U.S. market through
negotiated contracts in fixed U.S. dollar (USD) prices or the spot market. The peso appreciation has
reduced the number of pesos Mexican exporters receive for each dollar of tomato sales to international
markets. According to industry reports, these factors have also led to some consolidation in the market
and growers transitioning to other crops in the face of uncertainty.
Mexico produces tomatoes in 31 out of 32 states and utilizes three production methods for tomatoes:
open skies (low tech), shaded infrastructure with some automatic irrigation (medium tech), and
greenhouse and substrate production with advanced irrigation (high tech). Protected agriculture (medium
and high tech) is the main mechanism for tomato production in Mexico, representing about 65 percent of
total production. Low tech producers obtain between 45 to 75 MT per hectare. Medium tech offers
yields that reach an estimated 140 to 215 MT per hectare. High tech producers (especially the specialty
tomatoes growers) can obtain between 250 and 300 MT per hectare. The most advanced production
methods include greenhouse infrastructure, controlled climate, substrate as a soil, and drip irrigation
with minerals that support ideal plant growth.
Mexico produces a broad range of tomato varieties that are ripened on the vine, including traditional
varieties (Round and Roma) and specialty varieties (Cherry, Grape, and Heirloom).
Produce marketing firm Fresh Farms with offices in Rio Rico, AZ and Kingsburg, CA is entering the Baja tomato season on a good footing, aligning seamlessly with the end of the Sonora crop. This strategic transition allows the company to maintain consistent supply while capitalizing on favorable growing conditions in Baja, where growing weather has been optimal.
In a press release, the company explained that, unlike various key growing regions across the US and Mexico, where weather remains a crucial factor affecting the market, Baja’s stable climate provides a strong foundation for high-quality production. This, they said, puts the firm in an advantageous position as the season begins.
Demand for premium tomatoes remains strong among Fresh Farms’ core customers, the firm said, with buyers opting for reliable suppliers capable of delivering consistent quality. The company expects to deliver just over 1 million cases of Roma tomatoes from late June through November.
“This volume outlook reflects both confidence in production and the ability to meet sustained customer demand throughout the season,” read the document.
According to the producer marketer, tomato markets have remained stable in recent weeks, providing a solid pricing environment.
Furthering an already positive outlook, ongoing weather challenges in other growing regions could tighten availability of high-quality tomatoes in the near future. This scenario, the company said, may strengthen its position, as consistent supply becomes increasingly valuable.
“We remain committed to its proven strategy: strengthening existing partnerships while actively developing new relationships, particularly along the US West Coast. By combining reliability, quality, and strategic growth, the company is well-positioned to deliver a successful and stable Baja tomato season,” the firm concluded.
As the summer berry season hits its stride, California Giant Berry Farms of Watsonville, CA is preparing for its annual transition to the Pacific Northwest (PNW) blueberry growing region. Harvesting in the PNW was right on track kicking off around mid-to-late June, paving the way for strong, promotable volumes spanning the month of July.
Meanwhile, the company is gearing up for the start of its blackberry and raspberry season from Watsonville, CA.
The upcoming Pacific Northwest harvest arrives at a time of peak consumer demand for fresh berries. The peak volumes align with July demand.
“Our Pacific Northwest growing regions are shaping up beautifully, and we anticipate an outstanding crop just in time for the heart of summer,” said Tom Smith, vice president of sales and marketing at California Giant Berry Farms.”
Alongside the conventional and organic blueberry volume, the GIANT™ jumbo blueberry program—featuring 20mm+ berries—continues to deliver strong retail performance, supporting premium price points and high-impact displays. With jumbo blueberries showing over 60 percent year-over-year growth (NIQ), the program offers retailers an opportunity to drive incremental sales and differentiate in a competitive category.
Watsonville Berries
Blackberry volumes are steadily ramping up towards a late-July peak while raspberry production is in its peak. “Our Watsonville blackberry and raspberry season is starting earlier than usual this year,” says Smith, adding that peak volume of raspberries is expected to continue through the next few months. “A warm winter and spring advanced plant development. We expect the season to run through November and then transition back to Mexico supply.”
While both berries are coming from Watsonville, along with Mexico, in early-August, San Diego, CA will also be providing a strong supply of organic blackberries.
The Washington State Tree Fruit Association’s storage report dated June 6 reveals Washington apples remaining in storage stand at approximately 35 million boxes, compared to 38 million boxes at the same time last year. However, inventory levels vary by variety. The reduced volume in certain varieties can be attributed to smaller crop yields and strong movement early in the season.
There is ample volume of varieties like Honeycrisp available across Washington State, according to Superfresh Growers of Yakima, WA.
Still, there are tighter supplies of Red Delicious and Gala apples compared to previous years. These reduced inventories are largely the result of crop size and steady movement throughout the season.
Superfresh Growers apples are harvested from throughout the Pacific Northwest, from northern Oregon to the southern Canadian border.
As for timing, the 2025-26 Washington apple season began on schedule, with Gala and Honeycrisp harvest starting in early August, with the other varieties following their typical harvest windows. As for the current crop, apples are expected to continue to ship until the transition to new-crop fruit, which begins in August via an expected smooth transition.
The company continues to ship all core apple varieties, including Gala, Fuji, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, and Red Delicious, as well as Cosmic Crisp® apples and its proprietary variety, Autumn Glory®, industry-wide, inventories are tighter for certain varieties than last year.
Growing conditions have been generally favorable across the company’s growing regions for the 2026-2027 apple crop.
Replacing solid snacks with small amounts of almonds can lead to healthier diets, especially for children and teenagers, according to a 2025 study.
Researchers from the Aix-Marseille Université in France and the University of Washington set out to assess the nutritional impact of replacing popular processed snack foods with 30 or 50 grams of almonds in the diets of children ages 4 through 19 and American adults.
“Our research found swapping sugary and/or salty snacks such as cookies, cakes, candy and chips for nutrient-rich almonds has great potential for increasing essential nutrients and lowering saturated fat, added sugars and sodium,” says Adam Drewnowski, Director of the Center for Public Health Nutrition at the University of Washington.
The study showed that the switch resulted in diets higher in protein, fiber, unsaturated fats, and magnesium, and lower in saturated fat, added sugars, and sodium, increasing overall diet quality, even without any other dietary changes.
The study, funded by the Almond Board of California, used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey collected between 2017 and 2023.
Researchers used computer-based simulations to test various scenarios. These included adding almonds to match for calories (adding enough nuts to match half or the total of a particular snack’s calories), or adding 30g or 50g of them without removing or changing any other element.
The researchers then assessed each scenario by evaluating nutrient density, excess nutrients, and adequacy of essential nutrients. The dataset was also analyzed based on overall compliance with the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), which were current at the time of the research.
On average, solid snacks provided 329 calories a day, just under 16 percent of the total energy requirements. Only 58 of those calories (less than three percent of the total) came from healthy snacks such as fruit, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and plain yogurt.
Replacing all solid snacks or even just half of the less healthy snacks with almonds brought diets closer to meeting DGA recommendations, with the greatest impact in children aged 4 to 13.
“These improvements were largely the result of significant drops in saturated fat, added sugars, sodium and refined grains,” said the Almond Board of California in a statement. “There were also significant increases in protein, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, fiber and magnesium.”
There was also an improvement in the nutrient density of diets without leading to weight gain, said the organization.
A 1-ounce serving of almonds provides six grams of protein, four grams of fiber, 13 grams of unsaturated fat, only one gram of saturated fat, and 15 essential nutrients, including magnesium, potassium, and vitamin E.
According to the research, while the greatest effects on diet quality were seen with the larger serving size, even the 30-gram portion led to significant improvements and moved diets closer to recommendations.
Despite the positive results, the Almond Board of California and the researchers were adamant that the study has limitations, as modeling studies based on existing data show associations but cannot prove cause and effect.
Bell peppers are seeing an abundance of supply right now for shipping.
Maui Fresh International LLC of Los Angeles reports colored bells are especially abundant. The company’s main commodity is bell peppers which it ships from throughout the U.S. as well as Mexico, Canada and the Netherlands.
This follows a winter that saw more limited supply due to not only freezing temperatures in Florida which affected that crop, but also a hot winter in Mexico.
As for this season, mild weather has contributed to a later start in regions such as Coachella. Additionally, the Canadian bell pepper season also saw a delayed start.
The delays were caused by overcast and rainy conditions, and now product is producing at the same time.
In California, Maui Fresh has production from Coachella, Bakersfield as well as Oxnard and Santa Maria.
Meanwhile demand continues to be steady. Pepper consumption generally stays even throughout the year with fixed contracting for top items such as choice greens and reds in foodservice and bagged peppers at retail.
The Chilean citrus export season is projected to see an increase, with the U.S. being the primary export market.
According to data provided by the Citrus Committee of industry body Frutas de Chile, the current campaign is set to grow six percent in volume, reaching 530 thousand tons. In 2025, the South American country shipped 499,204 tons of citrus to international markets.
Local industry news outlet Diario Frutícola reported that the sector has been experiencing sustained growth since 2022, driven by lemons and oranges and strengthened by the stability of mandarins.
The United States remains the main destination for Chilean citrus, accounting for 80 percent of exports.
According to data provided by Frutas de Chile, lemons should establish themselves this season as the fastest-growing category in the country’s citrus portfolio, with shipments set to reach 131,000 tons. This represents a 14 percent increase over the 115,050 tons exported in 2025.
Oranges are also on the rise and are projected to grow 10 percent compared to 2025, reaching 134 thousand tons.
For clementines, the estimate is 75,000 tons, representing a five percent increase over the previous season, when the sector exported 71,550 tons.
Meanwhile, mandarin exports are projected to remain stable, reaching 190,000 tons. The estimate is less than one percent above the 2025 total of 190,910 tons.
Approximately 70 percent of California’s cantaloupe crop is produced in the San Joaquin Valley, where harvest began June 29, which is right on schedule, notes Garrett Patricio, President of Classic Fruit Company of Fresno, CA and chairman of the California Cantaloupe Advisory Board, who stressed shippers are expecting promotable volume to be available by early July.
“The good news is that we expect strong cantaloupe volume beginning in early July and continuing throughout the remainder of the summer,” Patricio said. “Consumers and retailers can look forward to a steady supply of high-quality California cantaloupes once the San Joaquin Valley season gets underway.”
About 75 percent of all cantaloupes consumed in the United States are grown in California. As the San Joaquin Valley harvest gets underway, the California Cantaloupe Advisory Board is launching an expanded consumer marketing campaign designed to drive demand throughout the summer season.
In the meantime, unusual weather patterns severely impacted melon production in California’s Imperial Valley and the Yuma, Arizona growing region. Growers had extremely limited supplies of all melon varieties, including cantaloupe, during the last half of June.
The 250th anniversary, also called the Semiquincentennial, commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. This milestone offers an opportunity to reflect on the nation’s history, honor contributions of Americans past and present, and envision the future for the next generations.
Similar to a year ago, supplies of North Carolina sweet potato are tight in the final months of the 2025-26 shipping season.
Triple J Produce of Sims, NC reports volume close to that of last year.
Tight supply has also impacted exporting plans for sweet potatoes from the state, due to less volume and the need to supply domestic customers.
The lower supply traces back to sizing during the growing season. Cooler temperatures set in during October combined with a lack of rain resulting in the remaining part of the crop that hadn’t been harvested yet not sizing up. That part of the crop is shipping now.