MARKET REPORT - FEB. 24TH, 2016

Long range forecasts for our El Nino spring are bearing up to the testThursday Forecast for the Fraser Valley:  Low 8C / High 16C // Average Low 0C / High 8CThursday Forecast for Yuma Arizona:  Low 13C / High 30C // Average Low 11C / High 24CThursday Forecast for Imperial Valley:  Low 12C / High 32C // Average Low 9C / High 24CThursday Forecast for Salinas:  Low 10C / High 24C // Average Low 7C // High 17CSo, that should tell you that the long range forecasts for our El Nino spring are bearing up to the test.  These very warm temperatures in California have been going on for 10 days, and are the reason why growers are begging us to take their surplus crops with so many fields with ‘ready to harvest’ dates colliding.  It will not go on forever – our educated guess is that you will see prices stay low for a while (7-10 days) and then start to climb quickly, with potential gaps and much higher prices on some crops expected by mid-March.  This is partly due to early plantings in Salinas, expected for the usual transition from the desert regions north to the central Coast in April coming on many weeks early.  It will certainly be interesting.In other news, the same story is happening along the Gulf of California coast through all the major Mexican growing regions.Thursday forecast for Guaymas:  Low 13C / High 32C // Average Low 11C / High 24C.    (Covilli / Llano)Thursday forecast for Hermosillo:  Low 13C / High 36C // Average Low 9C / High 24C   (Divine / Rico)Highs are actually forecast to hit 41C in Hermosillo by early next week.  So the same glut of greens is going to replicate as a glut of zucchini, cukes, tomatoes etc. over the next week, and going forward.If you want to start planning a promotion get started – pricing is tumbling for next week on many of these (watch for deals on zucchini, romas and field cukes starting Sunday)In other news, local root supply is dwindling quickly, with expectations to be totally into imports on beets, carrots, onions etc. fairly soon.  Potatoes are winding down, and although we have a lovely selection of specialty potatoes from growers scattered across BC and Alberta, and some yellow varieties still left in Pemberton, we’re into PEI Russets, and will be for a few months.Those high temperatures across northern Mexico are also going to bring on what is touted to be an excellent grape crop 2 – 3 weeks early, giving us a potential 7 month long grape season!