Good Morning!
Asparagus – The holiday pull is over and things are settling back into normal. We should have good supply for the next month and then we’ll start seeing new fields from Mexico begin.
Broccoli and Cabbage– We’re still getting good supplies of nice product out of Georgia and very good pricing. When they finish in another couple of weeks, we’ll move west again. Cabbage continues locally and in the south.
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 – California: Due to substantial rains in the Santa Maria and Oxnard, California growing regions, the shippers have been stripping the fruit and sending it to juicers and freezers. This week, they are continuing to assess the damage. With several inches of standing water in the fields, some shippers may not resume harvest until hopefully next week, and then at limited quantitites. Florida is producing good quantities of nice berries. Our local farmer is still bringing a few to market when the sun is out enough to let the berries grow. With just a couple of weeks before Valentine’s Day, we may see short supplies.
Q: Why was the carrot such a big deal? A: He was outstanding in his field.
