Market Report-July 15th 2015

SLIGHT GAP ON BANANAS

Here’s your mid-week update.  Avocados continue to sell very well – thanks – what we’re shipping is very nice fruit, just expect it to darken up faster than usual (2-3 days).  Our next shipment arrives in the next couple of days and we are listing smaller sizes of new crop fruit for shipping Thursday.  Slight gap on bananas – a late boat (engine issues), and then Canadian Border Services, (who seem prone to investigate bananas from South America) decided that this would be a good day to inspect a can we needed like right now, so there will be thin pickin’s on higher colour fruit until close to the weekend. We don’t expect any issues after that with a lineup of containers on schedule in its footsteps.  Small mercy – no increase in lemons this week for a change – still expensive, still selling just fine – but you may want to look at mixing sizes to get a better each price during this little lemon squeeze.  Mangos continue to arrive well as we transition from Nayarit (north of Puerto Vallarta) to Sinaloa (north of Mazatlán).  The mango season should continue for 4-6 weeks out of Mexico before we transition to the last ship point of the season – California.Melon sales are just not going to stop.  As mentioned earlier, Mexico production has virtually ended and even California is experiencing some supply shortages on watermelon, and word is there will be thinner supply out of the Central Valley for the next 10 days – which doesn’t mean a shortage, just slightly higher prices, but we have excellent supply.  California nectarines are done and we’ve moved to some beautiful large fruit from Washington until BC starts.Mexico has squeezed out its last Valencia for a few months and California is pro-rating fruit on a very light and small-sized crop.  With so many hundreds of acres out of production because of water supply, this situation is unlikely to change until Mexico starts shipping Desert Sweets again in late October.Don’t expect much in the way of pineapple – news today was “Costa Rica in dire straits.”  Production is always a challenge during the summer with much more severe weather and this one has followed one of the wettest springs ever.  And then there’s strawberries – keep them moving – we keep hearing rave reviews!  We’re keeping the price low through the week – expect a bit of a bump starting Sunday as Esteban’s volumes inch down off this last glut.Some definite bumps in the broccoli and cauliflower rows with prices fluctuating rapidly – well, not every few minutes, but certainly every few days.  Most broccoli shippers have fallen in line at fairly pricey levels and cauliflower will follow with prices already up 30% over the last few days.  Thankfully BC greens growers don’t have to battle these price extremes like those in California fighting it out in the big picture.  A few more BC items to add to your list – bagged carrots, broccoli crowns, increased supply of most greens and more – even local squash from Similkameen Organics – once again the winner in the unofficial first local hard squash of the season contest.  And yes, those are BC Field tomatoes on the list – not a typo!That being said, local supply is not meeting demand in a few areas and that’s why you will continue to see California listings, as well as a selection from Ralph’s Greenhouses just south of the line for all you fans of Ray de Vries who is just such a great grower.The first of the BC garlic is starting to roll in and this is somewhat of a tragic start – with so many producers not set up to irrigate, and this being the first year most of us have ever seen where there has been so little rain, the crop is going to come in smaller in yield and size – and that’s 4 growers we’ve heard from so far who are lamenting.  Out with the old and in with the new – Hawaii ginger is wrapping up and we’re now shipping the Peruvian young crop that has just started harvesting, as well as some very nice turmeric.  Prices are up a bit – we’re paying 25% more for both than 2 years ago, all currency related, and remember there’s a 15% Fairtrade Premium built into those prices as well.  Packaged salad prices have also inched up again, with the $CAD trading lower and lower against other currencies – something to do with plunging oil prices or whatever.