Fords Produce Company | Fresh Produce Distributor | Raleigh NC
Spotlight

September 18th, 2023 Supply Update: Local Produce – Tomatoes, cucumbers and squash are going strong.

Cucumbers

Local Produce – Tomatoes, cucumbers and squash are going strong. Watermelons, eggplant and peppers are in good supplies too.

Apples – We are now harvesting many new crop apple varieties as we get further into September. We are harvesting new crop Honeycrisp, Gala, Golden Delicious, Fuji, and Granny Smith. Some of these varieties, like the Granny Smith and Fuji, have only started in a very small way. Availability is improving weekly on the overall apple crop and prices are dropping accordingly. We are looking at a large crop of apples that is projected to be around 127 million cases this year. This will be the largest crop in several years.

Asparagus – Asparagus supplies are improving as newer fields begin production in Peru. Prices are down a bit and expected to continue that trend.

Blueberries – are tightening up as we get closer to the end of the domestic season. Oregon, Washington, and Michigan volumes are dropping quickly as we near the end of the domestic season. Blueberries are about to become a very tight supply commodity.

Cabbage – Cabbage is in good supply in both Michigan and Wisconsin. Quality is excellent!

Cucumbers – Are still rolling in North Carolina. Supplies and quality remain strong.

Eggs – Hot weather takes a toll on chicken flocks, and pricing generally climbs during the summer. Also, demand is at the highest level currently since January. Schools are big users for eggs and their usage has increased demand overall and causing markets to increase.

Lettuces – California growing regions have dried out and supplies of iceberg and leaf lettuces are available in good volume. Overall quality is good though light weights are being reported.

Potatoes – Harvest continues in most of the growing areas for baking potatoes. So far, so good. We are seeing increased acreage in most growing regions and overall good yields. Pricing is improving with the increased supply.

Tomatoes – Our local tomato season continues. Quality is exceptional and pricing has been great.

I almost had a joke for this week about construction, but I’m still working on it.

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Weekly News Archive

Strawberry

Produce Supply Update April 17rd, 2026 Good Morning! Global Market Note – The issues going on in the Straight of Hormuz have caused worldwide shortages of petroleum. So… of course freight rates are through the roof, but also effected are harvesting costs, fertilizers and packaging supplies including all plastics. Shippers and farmers are having to pass along these increases and causing many items to climb in price. Many freight companies are implementing fuel surcharges, increasing the cost of everything. Asparagus – Is still extremely short, but the local season is set to start in many areas, which should help bring the market down, hopefully. We should start seeing local product any day here. Cabbage – Is going strong locally, and right behind that, in a couple of weeks, should be broccoli. It’s been a long, cold winter, but supplies are improving. Corn, Peppers and Tomatoes – This market continues in a demand exceeds supply situation. As farmers wait for new plants to come on line, supplies on tomatoes and corn have kept the market cranked up for an extended time. Peppers seem to be easing downward just as anticipated during the 2 nd week of the month. Looks like supply is finally increasing on those. Lettuce – Has fully transitioneed to northern areas that will supply the country for the summer months. It was a smooth one this time, so we should have a great summer. Onions and Potatoes– Potatoes are at very good pricing now and and heavy on supply, but transportation has been a real struggle and diesel costs have caused the final price to be higher, quality is still beautiful. Onions tightened up last week , so feature these staples on your menus for profitable side items the everyone loves. Strawberries – Are rolling locally now. Our local farmers have moved out of the greenhouses and moved to fruit from the field and supplies are much stronger. Squash and Zucchini – Florida is about to wrap up their season, but Georgia is cranking up and should move the market back down. Our local guys are still a couple of weeks out, but spring is on the way and we’re looking forward to a great season. Q: If Farmer A sells apples and Farmer B sells bananas, what does Farmer C sell? A: Medicine.

Squash, Yellow

Produce Supply Update April 13rd, 2026 Good Morning! Global Market Note – The issues going on in the Straight of Hormuz have caused worldwide shortages of petroleum. So… of course freight rates are through the roof, but also effected are harvesting costs, fertilizers and packaging supplies including all plastics. Shippers and farmers are having to pass along these increases and causing many items to climb in price. Many freight companies are implementing fuel surcharges, increasing the cost of everything. Asparagus – Are at yearly highs, with shortages keeping the market strong. California and Washington State are starting their seasons, so that will add some much needed volume to the market. Cabbage – Is going strong locally, and right behind that, in a couple of weeks, should be broccoli. It’s been a long, cold winter, but spring is finally here! Corn, Peppers and Tomatoes – I’ve never seen a corn market like this one. February’s freeze killed many plants, creating a gap in production that’s going to take a while to work out. Crops had to be replanted and you’re looking at 60-90 days from putting them in the ground if the weather cooperates. Limited supplies are fueling sky-high pricing. Many tomato shippers are simply out of product. Warmer weather and increasing supplies once they’re past the areas affected will be the only thing to help the market. Lettuce – Has fully transitioneed to northern areas that will supply the country for the summer months. It was a smooth one this time, so we should have a great summer. Quality and pricing are great across the board for salad entrée’s and specials. Onions and Potatoes– Are both at very good pricing now and and heavy on supply. Quality has been beautiful, so feature these staples on your menus for profitable side items the everyone loves. Squash and Zucchini – Are plentiful from Florida, and Georgia should begin their harvest very soon. Supplies and quality are excellent, and so is pricing. We’re just a month or so away from our first harvests in NC. Spring is here! Alcohol can damage your short term memory. And so can alcohol.

Onion, Cipollini, Unpeeled

Produce Supply Update March 27th, 2026 Good Morning! Global Market Note – The issues going on in the Straight of Hormuz have caused worldwide shortages of petroleum. So… of course freight rates are through the roof, but also effected are harvesting costs, fertilizers and packaging supplies including all plastics. Shippers and farmers are in a real pinch right now and passing along what costs they’re able to and causing many items to climb in price. Apples – As we approach spring, the crop continues to get smaller. The latest storage report is showing that storage inventories are lower than the same time last year. As a result, we are seeing a rising market on many varieties, sizes, and packs, and this trend is expected to continue for the next couple of months. The most significant item that is down this year is the Gala apples. Cabbage – Is starting locally, and right behind that should be broccoli. It’s been a long, cold winter, but spring is finally here! Corn – I’ve never seen a corn market like this one. Limited supplies are fueling sky-high pricing. Sizing is smaller than normal as anything that is corn is being harvested and put in the box. They expect to have better volume by the middle of April. Onions – Mexico is starting their new season, and the overlap of storage and new crop onions is making for a very smooth transition. Pricing is staying level and quality has been great. Peppers – Conditions remain extremely short, and we do not anticipate any improvement in the short term. Based on current field performance and weather impacts, expect these challenging conditions to persist through mid-April. Georgia typically begins its season around May 20–25th, which means that normalcy is unlikely until late May, when new acreage comes online and supply begins to stabilize. Strawberries – Florida still has great volume, California has started their new season and our local farmer has had some beautiful weather so strawberries are plentiful and gorgeous. Going into Easter, strawberries are always a popular item. Tomatoes – Became extremely short all of the sudden last week. The hard freeze in Florida a couple of weeks ago has set back the crop by a lot. Prices are high and continue to rise. Did you hear about the new restaurant named KARMA? There’s no menu, you just get what you deserve.

Cabbage, Green

Produce Supply Update March 13th, 2026 Good Morning! Cabbage – Plentiful supplies right now for your St. Patrick’s Day promotions. Quality and pricing are great to put alongside your corned beef specials! Celery – After months of record pricing, the dam has finally burst and celery is flowing again. We’re seeing normalized markets and pricing is coming back to ground level. Corn – I’ve never seen a corn market like this one. Limited supplies are fueling sky-high pricing. Work them close, because once the weather stays warm, they’ll get a lot cheaper quickly. Onions – Mexico is starting their new season, and the overlap of storage and new crop onions is making for a very smooth transition. Pricing is staying level and Strawberries – Florida’s strawberry machine cranked back up last week after the weather warmed up for them. Plentiful supplies and great pricing. Our local growers are getting their seasons started and bringing sporatic amounts to market. We’re looking forward to a great spring. Tomatoes – We’re seeing a rapid turnaround on tomato markets. The sharp rise last week is falling off quickly as supply catches up with demand at the higher pricing. Prices are down substantially this week. Romas are way down. Florida / Mexican products: During our winter, we rely heavily on Mexican imports for a lot of vegetables. Their production usually offsets the shortages from Florida this time of year with cold weather limiting Florida’s harvests. The cold temps in Florida last week shut down their harvesting and threw a lot of demand on Mexican farmers all of the sudden. However, Mexico has had their own weather conditions and limited harvesting. As a result, most things that come from those areas are Extremely limited this week and it may be April before we see long term improvements. The most effected items are peppers, cucumbers, squash and tomatoes. Bear with us for a little while and we should see some improvements as the weather continues to warm. Q: A Vietnamese restaurant and an Indian restaurant opened across the street from each other. One was Pho profit, the other was Naan profit. Thank you for your business! Have a Great Week! Copyright Ford’s Produce 2026

Celery Stalks and Cut Celery Sticks - Celery Was super-tight and spendy through the spring and early summer,

Produce Supply Update March 9th, 2026 Good Morning! Broccoli – Is settling back down after a couple of rough weeks. Supplies are still low, but demand fell off at the higher pricing and that drove markets down. Cabbage – Is in great supply from Florida fields. We’ll see increased demand going into St. Patrick’s Day which may cause pricing to ease upward. We have savoy cabbage on hand if you’d like to change things up a bit. Celery – I’ve never seen a market like this that stayed this high for this long. The farmers out west planted a lot less acreage, creating a shortage that has lasted since October. Prices are still strong and will remain that way until more fields are changed over to celery. Corn – Last week’s freezing temperatures in the Southeast really set back the crop. Supplies are very limited and pricing is VERY high. Lettuce – California pricing came way off this week as demand slowed at last week’s higher pricing levels. Onions – Mexico is trying to start their new crop. There are still plenty of storage onions on hand, so the transition should be a smooth one except for the actions of the cartels down there. Strawberries – Florida’s thermometer turned cold and the strawberry machines turned off. Fortunately, our local grower is pumping them out with the pretty days we’ve been having and he’s expecting a great season. Tomatoes – The nationwide cold that we had last week has changed the plentiful tomato market seemingly overnight. Prices are much higher with the shorter supplies. Roma tomatoes which primarily grow in Mexico are particularly tight. Florida / Mexican products: During our winter, we rely heavily on Mexican imports for a lot of vegetables. Their production usually offsets the shortages from Florida this time of year with cold weather limiting Florida’s harvests. The cold temps in Florida last week shut down their harvesting and threw a lot of demand on Mexican farmers all of the sudden. However, Mexico has had the cartel issues for the past couple of weeks, coupled with their own weather conditions and limited harvesting. As a result, most things that come from those areas are Extremely limited this week and it may be April before we see long term improvements. The most effected items are peppers, cucumbers, squash and tomatoes. Bear with us for a little while and we should see some improvements as the weather continues to warm. I went to Starbucks and the barista was wearing a face mask. I asked “Why are you wearing a surgical mask?” She said “I’m not. It’s a coughy filter.”

Cabbages

Good Morning! Broccoli – Is settling back down after a couple of rough weeks. Supplies are still low, but demand fell off at the higher pricing and that drove markets down. Cabbage – Is in great supply from Florida fields. We’ll see increased demand going into St. Patrick’s Day which may cause pricing to ease upward. We have savoy cabbage on hand if you’d like to change things up a bit. Celery – I’ve never seen a market like this that stayed this high for this long. The farmers out west planted a lot less acreage, creating a shortage that has lasted since October. Prices are still strong and will remain that way until more fields are changed over to celery. Corn – Last week’s freezing temperatures in the Southeast really set back the crop. Supplies are very limited and pricing is very high. Lettuce – California pricing came way off this week as demand slowed at last week’s higher pricing levels. Onions – Mexico is trying to start their new crop. There are still plenty of storage onions on hand, so the transition should be a smooth one except for the actions of the cartels down there. Peppers – The freeze from 2 weeks ago in Florida caused some havoc in the pepper world. It ruined the fruit on the vine, so farmers had to wait for the plants to regrow their peppers, creating a shortage. Red, yellow, and orange peppers start out as green peppers, so until the green pepper deal gets sorted out, colored peppers remain in short supply. Strawberries – Florida has plenty of high quality, low cost berries and our local farmers are starting to ease into their season. Tomatoes – The nationwide cold that we had last week has changed the plentiful tomato market seemingly overnight. Prices are much higher with the shorter supplies. Roma tomatoes which primarily grow in Mexico are particularly tight. Special Note on Mexico: During our winter, we rely heavily on Mexican imports for a lot of vegetables. With the upheaval in Mexico by the cartels following the death of their leader, many aspects of their agriculture industry have been impacted. Harvesters can’t get to work, packing houses can’t get enough employees to come in, and the freight industry has been hit by the impromptu roadblocks. Commodities hit hardest are berries, tomatoes, limes, mangos, and the onion season that they’re trying to get started. Hopefully we’ll be past this soon and back to normal. Q: What kind of medical condition causes wrinkled clothes? A: An iron deficiency.

Green Peppers; with the higher pricing of green peppers, farmers will elect to pick them green rather than waiting for them to ripen to yellow or red

Good Morning! Beans – The 3 day freeze in Florida wiped out the bean crop and prices went through the roof. Work them closely and we should be out of this market soon. Broccoli – Is settling back down after a couple of rough weeks. Supplies are still low, but demand fell off at the higher pricing and that drove markets down. Cabbage – Is in great supply from Florida fields. We’ll see increased demand going into St. Patrick’s Day which may cause pricing to ease upward. We have savoy cabbage on hand if you’d like to change things up a bit. Celery – I’ve never seen a market like this that stayed this high for this long. The farmers out west planted a lot less acreage, creating a shortage that has lasted since October. Prices are still strong and will remain that way until more fields are changed over to celery. Corn – Last week’s freezing temperatures in the Southeast really set back the crop. Supplies are very limited and pricing is very high. Lettuce – Markets quickly climbed last week, just as we warned about. This shortage should last another month. Expect prices to yo-yo as the forces of supply and demand do battle. Prices will rise, people will take it off the menu, they’ll go back down, people will put it back on the menu and they’ll go back up. Peppers – Last week’s freeze in Florida caused some havoc in the pepper world. It ruined the fruit on the vine, so farmers had to wait for the plants to regrow their peppers, creating a shortage. Red, yellow, and orange peppers start out as green peppers, so until the green pepper deal gets sorted out, colored peppers will also be in short supply. Potato – Markets remain unchanged as there are lots of high-quality potatoes coming out of storage from all regions. But, February is Potato Lover’s Month. Feature these bargains wherever you can. Strawberries – Post holiday demand is sluggish for strawberries and prices fell hard. This is a great time to feature them on your menus. Great quality at a great price. Tomatoes – The nationwide cold that we had last week has changed the plentiful tomato market seemingly overnight. Prices are much higher with the shorter supplies. Smaller grape and mixed colored baby tomatoes are particularly tight. My wife saw me on the bathroom scale sucking in my stomach. She said “That’s not going to work.” I said “That’s the only way I can see the numbers.”

Celery Stalks and Cut Celery Sticks - Celery Was super-tight and spendy through the spring and early summer,

Good Morning! Apples – As we enter February, the crop continues to get smaller. The latest storage report is showing that inventories are lower on many varieties for this time of year than the same time last year. As a result, we are seeing a rising market on many varieties, sizes, and packs, and this trend is expected to continue for at least the next couple of months. The most significant item that is down this year is the Gala apples. Asparagus – Peru continues to offer good volume from the north region, with field transitions in place to ensure availability through mid- February and cover all Valentine’s Day needs. Broccoli and Cabbage – Cold temperatures and freezing weekend weather across much of the Southeast is driving up pricing. Mexican supply remains tight and Florida supply is struggling in the wake of the freezing temperatures. Product will likely remain tight for the next couple of weeks. Celery – Celery supplies will be limited over the next few weeks as the market has remained firm due to reduced industry acreage. Demand remains moderate, but lower overall supplies are supporting the market. Corn – The past weekend brought freezing temperatures into the Southeast. Florida farmers are currently still assessing their crop for quality and freeze damage. Thankfully demand is sluggish this time of year, keeping the market down. Lettuce – Product is experiencing lighter than normal weights and is expected to continue this week and next due to recent weather disruptions. Abnormal seasonal conditions have accelerated harvest schedules, resulting in reduced yields—projected to be down 35% or more industry wide. As supplies tighten, markets have begun to trend higher. Despite lighter yields, quality remains strong. Strawberries – The cold weather slowed down strawberry production, and pricing is climbing in anticipation of typical heavy Valentine’s Day demand. Tomatoes – The nationwide cold that we had last week has changed the plentiful tomato market seemingly overnight. Prices are much higher with the shorter supplies. Smaller grape and mixed colored baby tomatoes are particularly tight. Q: Why did the banana go to the doctor? A: It wasn’t peeling well.

Florida’s corn season finally cranked back up and prices are way down this week.

Good Morning! Apples – As we work our way through the beginning of a new year, we have a few less apples in storage than we expected a couple of months ago. The latest storage report is showing that inventories are lower on many varieties for this time of year than the same time last year. As a result, we are seeing a rising market on many varieties, sizes, and packs, and this trend is expected to continue for at least the next couple of months. Asparagus – Peru continues to offer good volume from the north region, with field transitions in place to ensure availability through mid- February and cover all Valentine’s Day needs. Broccoli – Tightened up drastically last week as the cold weather shut down growth. Prices are higher as everyone is looking for product. Celery – Supplies of celery remain extremely limited but are improving each week. The market has stayed very active with strong demand even after the holidays. It does seem to be easing down, but no where near normal levels yet. Corn – Sweet corn in Florida is very limited and pricing remains high. As we move into more wintery weather, pricing will likely remain high, and volumes will be limited. Lettuce – Production is experiencing disruption due to recent cold and rainy weather. Harvest crews out west are working diligently to procure solid quality in each carton, but their work has been cut out for them. Spinach and all other leaf items have been a struggle for the past couple of weeks. Potatoes – There are excellent supplies of high-quality potatoes coming out of storage in multiple regions. This is true of reds, yellows, and russets. Demand typically drops off as we get into the new year, as many consumers are looking for low-carb options. The low demand and large volumes make for an excellent buying opportunity and promotional period. Strawberries – The cold weather slowed down strawberry production, and pricing is climbing in anticipation of typical heavy Valentine’s Day demand. Tomatoes – The nationwide cold that we had last week has changed the plentiful tomato market seemingly overnight. Prices are much higher with the shorter supplies. Q: Why did the snowman look through a bag of carrots? A: He was picking his nose.

Apples – They are now in the last days of harvest on this new crop of apples.

Good Morning! Apples – As we work our way through the beginning of a new year, we have a few less apples in storage than we expected a couple of months ago. The latest storage report is showing that inventories are lower on many varieties for this time of year than the same time last year. As a result, we are seeing a rising market on many varieties, sizes, and packs, and this trend is expected to continue for at least the next couple of months. Asparagus – Good volume and excellent quality heading into Valentine’s Day. Broccoli and Cabbage– Georgia is seasonally winding their broccoli season down and Florida will wrap up early with the chilly weather this week. We’ll be moving back to the west coast soon. Cabbage has just about wrapped up in Georgia. New crop from Florida is up and running. Supply is abundant with good quality. Celery – Supplies of celery remain extremely limited but are improving each week. The market is very active with strong demand through the holidays. Quality is good overall and expected to progress into January. I haven’t seen a market like this before now. Corn – Sweet corn in Florida is very limited and pricing remains high. As we move into more wintery weather, pricing will likely remain high, and volumes will be limited. Lettuce – Production is experiencing disruption due to recent cold and rainy weather. Harvest crews out west are working diligently to procure solid quality in each carton, but their work has been cut out for them. Spinach and all other leaf items have been a struggle for the past couple of weeks. Melons – Have gotten tighter since the end of Mexico’s season, and the transition from Guatemala to Honduras is currently going on, making for shortages and higher pricing. Potatoes – There are excellent supplies of high-quality potatoes coming out of storage in multiple regions. This is true of reds, yellows, and russets. Demand typically drops off as we get into the new year, as many consumers are looking for low-carb options. The low demand and large volumes make for an excellent buying opportunity and promotional period. Strawberries – The cold weather we’re expecting this coming week will slow down strawberry production, and pricing is climbing in anticipation. Hopefully they’ll rebound before Valentine’s. People often say that “icy” is the easiest word to spell. Looking at it now, I see why.

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