MARKET UPDATE SEPTEMBER 09, 2022

Good afternoon,

Temperatures have passed the TRIPLE-DIGIT mark in California growing areas this week. The fertile grounds that produce LETTUCE, BROCCOLI, STRABERRIES, GRAPES, STONE FRUIT, ORANGES, LEMONS, SPINACH, and more, are seeing record high temperatures and prices are changing by the minute! It should go without saying that the goods mentioned above are facing extreme conditions and because of it, QUALITY will most likely be less than ideal. Markets are tight and shippers are going with a no-nonsense approach moving into the end of the season. Keep your inventories tight, don't carry anything longer than you need to, and please educate your customer base on the challenges we are sure to face ahead.

GRAPE prices are increasing this week, on the better quality fruit at least. We are seeing a two-tiered market set in, with some fruit available on the very inexpensive end that has obvious quality issues. We are hitching our wagons to the right quality fruit for export. Be wary of GRAPES of any color offered below market pricing in the weeks ahead.

APPLES are getting off to a nice start on both coasts this season! NEW CROP GALAS are in season and the outlook shows solid availability on SMALL FRUIT. We will have our first arrival of MICHIGAN GALA 198ct arriving this coming Monday.

BARTLETT PEARS are finally available out of Washington and are the best substitute for D'ANJOU pears, which new crops should be available around the first week of October.

LIME supplies remain tight coming out of Mexico. Heavy rains are preventing fruit from sizing up and making it difficult for crews to get in a harvest any product. For now, there are some scattered sources of supplies from other regions like COLOMBIA but just not enough to have a positive effect on the market. LIME pricing will be in question over the next few weeks while we wait and see if conditions improve or not.

SEEDLESS CUCUMBER markets are on fire as shippers attempt to stabilize demand by pushing prices to historic highs. The complete lack of supply is forcing major pro-rates across the industry and with most of the business being retail ad driven, the open market buyers are paying the price.

More as it happens,

Parker Tannehill