Archive For The “Trucking Reports” Category
Relief for spring produce loading opportunities is coming, but slowly, according to the website of Pro*Act of Monterey, CA.
Sonora is expected to start in late March with fewer acres planted, while the California desert may begin slightly earlier than normal due to warm weather.
Georgia remains several weeks out, expected in late May. Until
then, expect elevated pricing and continued tightness across the pepper category.
Tomatoes are following a similar pattern, with supply disruptions stacking
across regions.
Mexican production slowed following the mid-March national holiday and is now
further constrained by extreme heat in Sonora and Sinaloa. Harvest crews are
starting earlier in the day, but shortened picking windows are limiting overall output.
Quality remains mixed, with some growers pulling from older or previously
abandoned fields.
Florida continues to feel the impact of recent freezes, winds, and frost damage.
Volume is extremely limited across rounds, romas, and grape and cherry tomatoes,
and additional grading is required to meet specifications.
Rounds are seeing the most pressure on larger sizes, particularly 4×4 and 4×5. Romas
have slightly better availability on medium sizes but remain tight overall. Grape and
cherry tomatoes are also tightening as both domestic and Mexican supplies are
constrained at the same time.
Expect tomato markets to remain firm with upward pricing pressure and continued
volatility through mid- to late April, as new regions gradually come online.
Overall, the market is working through a difficult transition window. Florida is slow to
recover, Mexico is weather-constrained, and supply gaps are showing up across
multiple commodities. We’re expecting continued tight availability, elevated pricing,
and variability in quality and packouts.
The market remains under pressure as Florida continues to recover from freeze
damage and Mexico struggles with extreme heat. The combination is limiting supply,
impacting quality, and keeping both pepper and tomato markets elevated as March
winds down, according to the website of Pro*Act of Monterey, CA
Bell peppers remain one of the most challenged categories.
Mexico, the primary supplier, is dealing with excessive heat that is slowing
production and limiting harvestable yields. Shortened harvest windows are
reducing overall output, while quality is mixed with increased insect pressure and
fewer premium packs available. Larger sizes and No. 1 grade product are especially
tight, pushing more volume into choice-grade supplies.
Florida is contributing very little volume following winter freeze damage. Many
March fields were lost or set back, and what remains requires heavy grading.
Supplies are inconsistent, with growers focused on managing through reduced
yields until new fields begin in April.
Red bell peppers are even tighter, and recent harvesting decisions are compounding
the issue. Over the past several weeks, growers have been pulling red fields early
while fruit is still green to help cover green bell demand. That shift is now catching
up to the market. True red volume is limited, and quality is being impacted, with
increased reports of “chocolating” and inconsistent color development. Florida
offers little relief, with extremely light, day-to-day volume and variable quality.
Markon First Crop (MFC) Red and Yellow Potatoes are available in Idaho and North Dakota. Red potatoes are in good supply with larger sizes dominating packouts. Yellow potatoes are limited in multiple regions due to higher demand and lower yields. Increasing prices are expected over the next six to eight weeks, especially for yellow potatoes, according to Markon Cooperative of Salinas, CA.
Idaho, North Dakota, Colorado, Washington
- MFC Red and Yellow Potatoes are available
- Reds: Quality is very good, B size prices are rising
- Yellows: Yields are lower as growers are culling stocks with pressure bruising, air checks, greening and lenticles, and Markets are climbing for all sizes and grades
North Dakota
- MFC Red and Yellow Potatoes are available
- Reds: Quality is good; skins are dark, Prices are holding steady with a slight market increase in B size supplies
- Yellows: Quality is good, Strong demand is pushing up prices
Colorado and Washington
- Supplies are adequate in both regions but demand is shifting from East Coast
- Reds: Quality is good with light pink skin and occasional blemishes, Increasing demand is affect markets
- Yellows: Quality is good, Prices are inching up
Florida
- Availability across all colors and sizes is tight as growers navigate the impacts of the January freeze
- Reds and Yellows: Quality is very good, Expect elevated markets for all sizes, colors, and grades through April
*****
ALLEN LUND COMPANY, TRANSPORTATION BROKERS, LOOKING FOR REEFER CARRIERS: 1-800-404-5863.
By Mark Campbell, ProduceIQ
A record-setting heat wave across the West has toppled long-standing March temperature highs from Yuma to Palm Springs, and now that heat is advancing east, according to the article published by the Blue Book.
Forecasts show much of the Southeast running 15–30 degrees above average the week ending March 23.
That surge in temperatures is fast-tracking the close of the Yuma season, raising the stakes for a smooth handoff to California production. If West Coast growers aren’t ready to take the baton, markets could face a brief but impactful supply gap just as production begins a seasonal decline.
Tomato markets are “channeling” the spirit of March Madness. After all varieties posted notable declines last week, prices for round, plum, and grape tomatoes are climbing once again.
Extremely light supply from Florida and Mexico, paired with the +17 percent duty on Mexican tomatoes, is fueling renewed volatility. With supply constrained and demand steady, instability is expected to persist through April.
The same heat driving production shifts in the West is also tightening supply in other categories. Asparagus prices jumped +22 percent week-over-week as heat-stressed supply struggles to keep pace with Easter demand. Week #12 prices are now well above average, ranking as the second-highest in the past decade. Relief remains limited: ongoing heat in the West and delayed shipments from Peru are expected to keep upward pressure on the market through the next two weeks.
Meanwhile, warmer temperatures are beginning to reshape demand patterns. Warmer weather is stirring demand for watermelon, pushing prices up +9 percent from the previous week. Week #12 pricing is now at the second-highest level in the past 10 years. With Florida production still weeks away, the market is leaning heavily on dwindling Mexican supply. Prices are likely to climb further over the next 3–5 weeks until domestic harvests arrive to meet seasonal demand.
Even tropical items are feeling the squeeze as supply struggles to keep pace with warm-weather demand. Pineapple prices continue to hold firm at elevated levels in week #12. Tight import supply, driven by adverse weather, is trailing just behind strong Easter demand. With supply expected to remain limited, prices are forecast to edge higher in the coming weeks.
*****
ALLEN LUND COMPANY, TRANSPORTATION BROKERS, LOOKING FOR REEFER CARRIERS: 1-800-404-5863.
Extreme heat continues to cause concern for the remaining acreage of row crop vegetables in the Arizona/California desert growing region, according to a press release from Markon Cooperative of Salinas, CA.
Markon inspectors have observed the effects of the heat in fresh samples and shelf-life retains during recent product cuttings, particularly in value-added romaine items.
With the sustained heat and a limited supply remaining, the quality and shelf-life of commodity and value-added items from the desert region will be challenged until production moves back to the Salinas Valley.
Despite mitigation steps by growers, harvesters, and processing crews, it will not be possible to completely avoid the issues brought on by the extreme conditions. Ordering for quick turns is recommended, and, as always, cold chain management throughout the supply chain will be critical to maximizing quality and shelf-life.
*****
ALLEN LUND COMPANY, TRANSPORTATION BROKERS, LOOKING FOR REEFER CARRIERS: 1-800-404-5863.
Elevated temperatures are forcing an end to the seasons in Texas and Florida. California volume is rising in Santa Maria and Oxnard; quality is excellent, according to a press release from Markon Cooperative of Salinas, CA.
Santa Maria/Oxnard, California
- Current weather is ideal for strawberries
- Volume continues to increase weekly
- Quality is excellent; good shape, color, and flavor are being reported
- Size ranges from medium plus to large (10-14 berries per 8/1-pound clamshell)
- Expect pricing to remain low
Salinas/Watsonville
- Warmer weather in these growing regions has increased yields
- Quality is excellent; defects are minimal
- Size ranges from 14 to 15 berries per 1-pound clamshell
- Expect minimal numbers for another two weeks
- Markets are stable
Florida
- Temperatures in the mid-80s to mid-90s have ended the Florida season for most suppliers
- Fruit has been softened and bruised by heat
*****
ALLEN LUND COMPANY, TRANSPORTATION BROKERS, LOOKING FOR REEFER CARRIERS: 1-800-404-5863.
Unseasonably hot weather is forecast for California’s San Joaquin Valley over the next week. March temperatures typically range from a high of 68 degrees to a low of 45 degrees, but this week, highs are forecast in the 90s. This has the potential to create quality defects in current and upcoming crops grown in that region.
Citrus
- Quality will remain strong
- Expect to see more pliability in Navel oranges, but supplies will not break down or decay any quicker than normal
- New crop Valencia oranges expected to start shipping in late April; expect to see an increase in regreening if the weather continues its warm trend
- Lemons are less susceptible to hot weather due to their thicker rinds
Grapes/Stone Fruit
- Growers have no long-term concerns for the upcoming summer crops
- Grapes and stone fruit are more susceptible to hail and rain damage
*****
ALLEN LUND COMPANY, TRANSPORTATION BROKERS, LOOKING FOR REEFER CARRIERS: 1-800-404-5863.
The onion market is now entering its seasonal transition as Northwest storage supplies
begin winding down and fresh-run onions start moving out of Mexico and South Texas, according to Pro*Act, of Monterey, CA.
The distributor/broker notes markets are currently soft on yellow and red onions as new crop volume competes with remaining Northwest inventories. White onions remain the exception, where supplies
are tighter and pricing is beginning to firm.
In the Pacific Northwest, Washington, Idaho, and Eastern Oregon continue shipping
storage onions, though the season is clearly entering its later stages. Jumbo and
medium sizes remain available while super colossal sizes are more limited. As we move
deeper into the storage window, buyers may begin to see more translucency or watery
scales in some lots. This is a normal late-season condition and often improves with
proper airflow as the outer rings dry.
One of the biggest shifts this time of year is the transition from cured storage onions to
fresh-run onions.
Northwest storage onions have been cured for months, developing the familiar golden,
papery husk and lower pulp temperatures that allow them to store and ship
exceptionally well.
*****
ALLEN LUND COMPANY, TRANSPORTATION BROKERS, LOOKING FOR REEFER CARRIERS: 1-800-404-5863.
Primland, a French marketer and grower projects the company’s Chilean kiwifruit will have a 20 percent yield increase for its green variety, which accounts for approximately 90 percent of the total volume, due primarily to favorable weather and orchard management.
Additionally, the water availability in Chile is contributing to excellent fruit quality this year.
The South American country remains one of the world’s key kiwifruit exporters, supplying the United States, Europe, and Asia when Northern Hemisphere production is out of season.
Alongside its traditional green varieties, Primland continues expanding its yellow-fleshed kiwi program. The Oscar® Gold variety currently accounts for about ten percent of its supply this season in Chile, but there’s room for growth due to the rise in yields, as well as new plantings.
*****
ALLEN LUND COMPANY, TRANSPORTATION BROKERS, LOOKING FOR REEFER CARRIERS: 1-800-404-5863.
By Joey Piedimonte, Pro*Act, Monterey, CA
I spent last week in Orlando for SEPC, and it was nice connecting with many of you out
there. While I was in Florida, I got a firsthand look at what the late January freeze did to
crops in the region and the impact is more significant than the reports suggested.
Bell peppers took a serious hit. Fields that should be loaded are thin, and what’s coming
out is inconsistent. Strawberry plants looked structurally sound, but the ratio of flowers to
fruit told the real story. There’s more bloom than berry right now, which means volume is
still weeks away.
That freeze is still echoing across the supply chain.
Bell peppers are tightening, particularly greens. Significant freeze losses in Florida have
resulted in lower yields and more off-grade fruit expected this spring. Western Mexico
volumes crossing through Nogales are rising and helping fill the gap, but prices are
climbing as demand grows. Red bells are relying heavily on Mexico, where Culiacán is
producing moderate volume with good quality and better yields ahead. Central Mexico
crossings remain steady but limited, and Florida supply is minimal. Markets will stay firm
short-term.
Tomatoes remain the headline. Southeast supplies are extremely limited after growers
invoked Force Majeure due to crop loss. Domestic production won’t recover until mid
April at the earliest. Mexico is helping cover the gap, but yields are lighter and quality at
pack-out has been mixed. Recent logistics disruptions have stressed the supply chain.
Rounds, romas, and grape tomatoes are all tight. Expect elevated pricing through the next
six weeks, and consider substituting rounds for romas where possible.
Corn took a beating. Bi-color, white, and yellow corn in the Southeast are all impacted. On
the West Coast, bi-color and white are limited, and yellow is extremely tight.
*****
ALLEN LUND COMPANY, TRANSPORTATION BROKERS, LOOKING FOR REEFER CARRIERS: 1-800-404-5863.