Archive for category Produce Market Update

Market Update July 13, 2009

Vegetables  
Beets – Both red and gold beets are tight right now.
Broccoli – Broccoli supplies are much better this week and the market is softening.
Cauliflower – Cauliflower supplies are better this week.
Celery - The celery market is steady this week.
Chards -  Green chard remains the lowest price of the chards with pricing on red and rainbow varieties still high. Kale pricing is down with some nice offers available.
Leaf Lettuces – The leaf market in California is struggling with supply issues. Most leaf lettuces now will be coming from local and regional growers.
Spinach – Spinach availability tightens and price strengthens as well.
 
 
Fruit
Apples - Northwest Braeburn apples are still lingering with some good values on both trays and bags. Some slight price firming as a few vendors finish up. These should wind down by the end of July. There are limited supplies of Chilean fruit and New Zealand Braeburns. Northwest Gala supply is just about over with a few bags remaining. South American Galas are also available as are supplies from New Zealand. Supplies range from fair to limited. New crop domestic Galas will begin in August. Red and Gold Delicious supplies are beginning to wind down from the northwest. Early Gold apples from the northwest should begin in August. Granny Smith apples are beginning to tighten in the Northwest. Expect another 2 weeks of availability on these. There are limited supplies of New Zealand fruit available. Northwest Pink Lady apples should go through July.
Avocados - The avocado market is tight this week – particularly so with 60 count sizes.
Berries – The warmer weather in California is expected to begin increasing supplies on strawberries. California blueberries are finishing, but there are good supplies available from Texas, North Carolina and New Jersey. Quality is good with raspberries but supplies are a bit tight. Blackberry quality is excellent with good availability.
Citrus – California Valencias will begin to wind down as we move further into July. 
Grapes - Primarily Sugarone and Superior green grape varieties are available for the next 2 weeks. The quality is excellent and they are priced to move. Red Flames made a smooth transition from Coachella to the Central Valley. Supplies are good. Coachella Black grapes are finished, but the new crop has emerged from the Central Valley.
Mangoes – Light supplies on the big fruit. Strong supplies available on 12 and 14 count mangoes. 
Pears – Imported Anjou pears are starting to wind down. Expect the crop to be over very soon. New crop California Bartlett Pears are forecasted to begin harvest next week. We will keep you posted. There are good supplies of Packham pears available. Look for these to be priced to move as the new crop Bartlett pears appear.
Stone Fruit – California apricots are pretty well over, but Northwest supplies are good. Expect a strong northwest crop for July. We are seeing a smooth transition from California Bing cherries to the Northwest supplies. Overall volume should be strong, now through July. Rainier cherry volume has improved and this should pick up by the end of the month with excellent availability expected further into July. Yellow peaches have settled slightly with the best value being with the medium size packs. Expect larger sizes to pick up as we move further into July. The northwest crop starts in July and they are expecting a strong peach season. White peaches are in fair supply. Yellow nectarine supplies are peaking now through the mid/end of July.  Supplies of white nectarines are also abundant. Red and black plums are in excellent supply. Look for supplies to remain strong through July.

Over-Pulling Produce

In order to make things go more smoothly, we will be assigning specific people to pull produce orders next month. In the end, there were significant shortages in the weighed items that resulted in at least 4 members not receiving items that did in fact arrive today. The peppers are an exception since they shipped the wrong case size. We realize that it’s hard to get the product to weigh in exactly sometimes, but it is often necessary to accept just under your purchased weight to avoid shorting others. Where there’s a slight shortage on one product it is usually made up on the next. We try to offer pre-bagged items when possible to make it easier, but when those do not come in, the individual case sizes may be substituted. Individual item substitutions only work when they the case is divided evenly. If you were to weigh each 4lb bag of oranges, for example, you’d find that none are exactly 4 lbs, but a slight bit over or under and as close as possible. So next month, please go ahead and work with the grocery items and we’ll get the produce split up so you can each just come collect your order when finished picking your United products.