MARKET UPDATE FEBRUARY 23, 2024

Good afternoon,

Wet weather on the west coast has been persistent for the last several weeks. Parts of California have received 2+ inches of rain this week, washing out crops like STRAWBERRIES. These storms have overlapped into Arizona bringing on difficult growing and harvesting conditions. There is good news, and that is that the rain has finally taken a break, but the adverse conditions of weeks past are just now beginning to impact markets.

LETTUCE and ROMAINE pricing continues to push higher this week. For several weeks, we avoided supply gaps due to heavy planting and improved crop disease control compared to the last few years. The several weeks of rain and cold have finally caught up with supplies and product has gotten tight. Growers and shippers are also advising that product may have RIB BRUISING, DISCOLORATION, BLISTERING, and EPIDERMAL PEELING. So like we typically see, when prices are up, unfortunately quality goes down. Warmer conditions and more sunlight is the trend for next week so hopefully this upcoming weather pattern can help supplies get back on their feet soon.

ASPARAGUS supplies are fully recovered and the market is reflecting the strong availability. The warming trend in Mexico is helping to push early season production forward, just in time for a nice EASTER special!

BROCCOLI markets seem to be the outlier this week when it comes to west coast veg. Thanks to a big supply push coming out of Mexico and some additional volume on the east coast, BROCCOLI CROWNS and BUNCHES are readily available and priced to sell!

LIMES grew tight this week due to a transition in Mexico. The spring crop is expected to be lighter than the last but with better quality. We are seeing some Colombian fruit here in South Florida to help ease the shortage but the main force in the equation is the new crop out of Mexico.

GRAPES continue to struggle with Peru finishing and Chilean supplies off to a very late start. Compounding the issues, a larger percentage of fruit from Chile shipped into California this season, resulting in less availability from the importers we all work with here on the east coast. We are still another few weeks away from better pricing and availability but with several unordinary challenges to the start of this import season, we truly just have to wait and see.

More as it happens,

Parker Tannehill