Cucumber
Market: Stable | Quality: Good | Demand: Steady
The cucumber market is steady on demand but tight on volume. Mexico’s production is decreasing with the cool/rainy temperatures and being past the peak for production until new crop starts in March. Market should remain strong through February.
Lemons
Market: Stable | Quality: Good | Demand: Steady
California continues to have a strong supply of lemons, skewing toward choice. Navels are peaking in larger sizes with scarce availability in sizes smaller than 88s.
Lettuce
Market: Up | Quality: Okay | Demand: Steady
The Iceberg market continues to heat up with extremely light yields coming from the fields, stemming from cosmetic issues like internal burn and mildew. Demand continues to be strong for Iceberg. Other commodities like Romaine, Leaf, and Cabbage are in much lower demand and have adequate supply.
Onions
Market: Stable | Quality: Excellent| Demand: Steady
The Iceberg market continues to heat up with extremely light yields coming from the fields, Onions continue to cross in from Mexico offering another solution to help with the higher freight rates in the Pacific Northwest.
Peppers
Market: Stable | Quality: Okay | Demand: Steady
The supply for peppers is steady with good demand. Florida is still producing but depending on the frost expected this weekend, it could end the season early for them. This would put more pressure on Mexico to produce more volume. Could see an increase in price next week.
Potatoes
Market: Stable | Quality: Excellent | Demand: Steady
The potato quality remains beautiful with a plentiful supply. Freight continues to be a challenge with the winter storms keeping pressure on the market.
Tomatoes
Market: Up/Tight | Quality: Okay | Demand: Steady
Tomato market has increased across the board in Florida and Mexico. Florida has already been light on production due to cool weather and is now looking at sub-freezing temperatures through this weekend/early next week. These frost conditions will slow plant growth, reduce yields, and cause a bloom drop, tightening an already limited supply. If the freezing temperatures are brief and not severe damage will be reduced, but everything depends on the duration and low temperatures. Mexico is also having cooler temperatures with rain that has their production down. This has caused issues with quality and having a good amount of #2 product. I would expect the market to remain tight though early February.
