Market News
Desert transition complete with relief in the lettuce patch. Early desert romaine and leaf coming in stronger and cleaner than final Salinas lots.
After weeks of talking transition, we've officially made it to Yuma. And while the weather seems to have followed us south, there's finally a sense of relief in the lettuce patch. Early desert romaine and leaf are coming in stronger and cleaner than the final Salinas lots. Yields are still light, and weights will take some time to normalize, but this product has legs.
That's good news, because the Central Coast got absolutely soaked last week. Some areas picked up over 6 inches of rain, essentially ending Salinas and leaving Santa Maria and Oxnard berry growers digging out from waterlogged fields. Strawberry yields will remain low for the next three weeks. Oxnard is holding steady for now, but it's not enough to offset the sharp decline elsewhere. Fruit is soft with elevated bruising and mildew pressure.
Supplies out of Central Mexico are picking up slowly but still running behind historical trends. Baja is still behind on production and Florida is starting to scratch the surface of their crop. Open market availability remains limited heading into Thanksgiving.
Oxnard is also the primary celery region this time of year, with transfers headed to Yuma. While celery tends to thrive with moisture, soaked fields are slowing harvest. Crews are doing what they can, but product is heavy and hard to move in the thick mud.
Brussels sprout supplies remain limited as the crop transitions south. Rain, rising demand, and the coastal-desert gap are keeping markets snug, especially on value-added packs. Quality has been fair.
Central Mexico supplies have helped stabilize multiple categories. Harvests and crossings remain seasonally light but are providing some relief in berries and wet veg.
And what would Thanksgiving be without Idaho potatoes? Quality is excellent and supplies are strong, but outbound transportation is a growing concern. Carrier capacity out of the Northwest remains tight, and high freight costs on low FOBs continue to slow movement.
The desert is up and running. Product is improving. And while we're still navigating a few bumps—weather, freight, and tight availability—we're headed in the right direction into the holidays.