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PRODUCE MARKET REPORT

OVERVIEW

MARKET REVIEW

Regional Production Highlights - Week of November 21st:

Harvest has shifted fully to Yuma, where early romaine and leaf quality is stronger than the final Salinas lots, though yields and weights remain light as fields normalize. Heavy rain—over six inches, ended the Salinas season and left Santa Maria and Oxnard berry growers with saturated fields, keeping strawberry yields low for about three weeks and contributing to soft fruit, bruising, and mildew. Mexico’s supplies are improving slowly, Baja is still behind, and Florida is just beginning, leaving open-market fruit tight heading into Thanksgiving.

Oxnard celery is slowed by muddy fields, Brussels sprout supplies are tight during the coastal-to-desert transition, and value-added markets remain firm. Central Mexico is helping stabilize several items, while Idaho potatoes show excellent quality despite transport challenges. Overall desert production is improving, but weather, freight issues, and limited availability continue to impact movement. Transportation delays of up to 48 hours are expected as northern product moves through the system, and a busy truck market is anticipated this winter. Weather remains mostly warm and dry in Florida and Mexico, turns unsettled midweek in California, and brings showers to Arizona before clearing by Sunday.

 

PRODUCT AVAILABILITY

AVOCADOS

  • Markets soft; good supply and lower demand.

  • Flora Loca & Aventajada underway with solid maturity levels.

PINEAPPLES – ESCALATED

  • Costa Rica crownless in high demand; rising prices, substitutions, cancellations, and port delays.

GRAPES – ESCALATED

  • Greens tight; reds available through mid-December.

  • Peru imports increasing late Nov–early Dec.

BANANAS

  • Stable supply; excellent quality despite strong school demand.

APPLES

  • New 2025 crop ramping up; Reds/Fujis/Pinks tight.

  • Strong Gala & Honeycrisp; Granny & Golden improving.

 

CALIFORNIA CITRUS

Lemons – WATCHLIST (small sizes)

  • Strong markets; small sizes tight. District 1 starting, District 3 tapering; Mexico shipping.

Imports/Specialties

  • Blood oranges finishing soon, small sizes.

  • Light Fancy grade grapefruit; adequate choice grade.

  • Cara Cara, Minneola, Mandarins nearly done.

Limes

  • Supply rebounded after Veracruz delays; strong medium/large sizing.

  • Offshore Honduran & Colombian fruit available in the East.

STONEFRUIT & OTHER FRUIT

  • Imported peaches/nectarines arrive mid-December.

  • Strong Nov–Dec supply of pomegranates, persimmons, Asian pears.

  • Domestic kiwi steady but high-priced.

CALIFORNIA LETTUCE

Iceberg – ESCALATED

  • Yuma improving; Huron ending. Value-added prices high; 34–38 lb cartons.

Romaine & Hearts – ESCALATED

  • Quality okay but supplies tight.

EASTERN & WESTERN VEGETABLES

Bell Peppers (Green & Color)

  • Steady supply and good quality from all regions.

Eggplant

  • Georgia production down (cold), prices higher.

  • Florida starts 7–10 days; Mexico increasing next week.

Slicer Cucumbers

  • Steady supply; excellent western quality, fair eastern.

Zucchini & Yellow Squash

  • Mexico steady; yellow squash tight.

  • Georgia done (freeze). Florida light. Prices rising.

 

MELONS

Cantaloupe – ESCALATED

  • Low Westside supplies; mostly size 9s; offshore mid-Nov.

Honeydew

  • Transition to Brawley/Yuma delayed by rain; limited supply, strong demand.

  • Mexico producing sizes 4–6.

Watermelon

  • Domestic available but tightening; Mexico limited due to rain impacts.

MIXED VEGETABLES

Artichokes – ESCALATED

  • Good quality; limited supply.

Asparagus – ESCALATED

  • Peru delays → oversupply of small sizes.

  • Northern volumes rising; tightening ahead of Jan Caborca season.

Broccoli/Crowns – ESCALATED

  • Quality fair; supply limited.

Broccolini/Sweet Baby Broccoli – WATCHLIST

  • Very tight supplies.

Brussels Sprouts – EXTREME

  • Very limited supply.

Carrots

  • Strong harvest; no sizing issues. Snack packs require 48-hr lead.

Cauliflower – ESCALATED

  • Limited but improving supply.

Celery – ESCALATED

  • Heavy rain slowing production; Salinas done; Yuma post-Christmas.

Cilantro – ESCALATED

  • Very tight; high demand.

 

ONIONS

  • Shipping from CA & NM; NM includes Mexican crop with some quality issues from rain/flooding.

  • Demand strong; active markets.

POTATOES

  • Fully supported by storage crops; strong sizing & availability.

  • Burbanks limited until mid-Oct; Norkotahs dominant.

  • Market expected soft until late spring.

TOMATOES

Rounds & Romas – WATCHLIST

  • East cooler; romas tight, rounds adequate.

  • Mexico via McAllen; grapes tight.

Snacking Tomatoes

  • Florida leading; Mexico & Baja supplying through December.

SEE FULL REPORT HERE

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