Produce News

Did you Know?: Originally an Oriental ornamental plant, eggplant got its name from yellow and white fruited varieties with egg-sized fruits.

In India and Medieval Europe, eggplant was credited with remarkable properties as a love potion. By the 16th Century, northern Europeans were calling eggplants, "mad apples" in the belief that consumption would cause insanity.

Eggplant’s were brought to America by Spaniards as "berengenas," meaning apples of love.

Ladies in the high society of China once made black dye from dark eggplant skins and used it to stain their teeth to a black lustre, a fashionable cosmetic use.

TRANSPORTATION
Availability concerns have eased for in the West, not because trucks are in greater supply, but primarily due to a decrease in demand. The anticipated arrival of Hurricane Rita has once again caused retailers and wholesalers in the South to reduce purchasing activity to minimal levels. Fuel prices remain steady for the moment. This situation has the potential to deteriorate rapidly, with 13 percent of U.S. refining capacity, located in Houston, currently in the path of the hurricane. Freight rates are steady at this time.

CALIFORNIA LETTUCE & MIXED VEGETABLES
Iceberg & Leaf: Lettuce supplies are generally light, however slack demand has deflated any potential price strength; prices continue to ease toward bottom levels. Quality is holding up well for the late season Salinas Valley harvest; the southward transition will begin the week of October 8th, with the start of the harvest in the Central San Joaquin Valley. Romaine and leaf are in plentiful supply and prices are on the bottom.

Broccoli, Cauliflower & Celery: Bunched broccoli and broccoli crowns are in good supply, with new crop broccoli crowns from Mexico bringing additional supply to the market; prices continue to trend lower. Cauliflower is in adequate supply…light demand for all vegetable items has pressured prices lower. Celery is available in good supply…prices have dropped for the large sizes.

Mixed Vegetables: Asparagus prices are moderately higher, with light production in Baja California, Mexico being supplemented by imports from Peru. Mexican asparagus will be available through mid-October, at which time Chile and Peru will become the primary source of supply. Jumbo carrots are in moderate supply in California and prices remain firm. Spring mix is in plentiful supply and quality continues to improve. Green onion production is on the increase in Mexico and prices continue to slide. Leek supplies have tightened and prices have jumped. Prices remain strong for green and red cabbage. Spinach prices are steady, along with parsley, bok choy, napa and snow peas.

STRAWBERRIES
The price gap has narrowed between the premium label strawberries and the independent label, University of California, variety strawberries. Late season production is on the decline in the Watsonville-Salinas district. Driscoll is now harvesting late season new crop strawberries in Oxnard. Other shippers are also harvesting these new crop berries in both Santa Maria and Oxnard. We expect to see a further moderate price decline next week for the premium label berries as supplies begin to increase. Raspberry prices have firmed with moderate supplies, along with blueberries. Tight supplies will continue on blackberries through the month of October. Blackberries from Mexico will become available in late November.

CALIFORNIA-ARIZONA CITRUS
Valencia oranges continue with plentiful supplies on 72’s & larger and decreased availability on smaller sized 113’s & 138’s. Prices will trend higher as we near the end of the season, especially for the smaller sizes. No gap in supply is expected prior to the start of the Navel season in early November. Sunkist reports that the upcoming Navel orange crop will be two percent smaller compared to last year, and that production will be heavier to the smaller sizes.

Higher prices continue for large sized fancy & choice grade lemons (75-95-115), while prices are on the decline for fancy grade smaller sized lemons (165-200-235). As the desert lemon season gets into full swing in the next two weeks, a bumper crop is expected to bring a substantial decline in prices for all grades and sizes.

Already tight pineapple supplies are expected to see further reduction in supply due to Hurricane Rita, which is expected to slam into the port of Freeport, Texas by Saturday. This will follow the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina, which devastated the port of Gulfport, Mississippi. Preparations are being made to get Gulfport back into operation. Light harvesting activity will continue in Honduras, Costa Rica and Ecuador…no increase in production is anticipated until mid-October.

MELONS
Cantaloupes are in adequate supply at steady prices for late season production in the Westside district of the San Joaquin Valley. A full range of sizes is now available. The cantaloupes are showing a green caste, typical of late-summer melons; quality is excellent and sugar levels remain high. Harvesting will begin in Central Arizona next week. Honeydews continue with plentiful supplies at competitive prices. Watermelons are also in good supply.

AVOCADOS
Hass avocados from Chile and Mexico are in plentiful supply at reasonable prices. Mexican Hass are priced moderately higher. Maturity of the Mexican fruit, oil content and taste are at optimal levels, compared to early season Chilean Hass. Supply and demand are in good balance for Chilean Hass, with shipper inventories being rotated in a timely manner. The California harvest continues to limp along with very limited volume as the end of the season is upon us…prices remain substantially higher compared to the imported Hass.

GRAPES & SOFT FRUIT
Late season Crimson seedless supplies are on the increase; color, berry-size and quality are excellent for this premium red grape. These are by far the best grapes of the season this year. The Crimsons have been the least affected by the extreme heat during the summer growing season; the vigorous vine growth has provided an extra measure of shade for the grapes, protecting the grapes from the sun. Ruby seedless are available in moderate supply, and have not fared as well with the hot summer weather. Thompson seedless 19 lb fresh packed cartons will be available through September, after which the 16 lb Thompsons will be shipped from storage. Prices are strong for all grape varieties.

Late season supplies are very tight for peaches, plums and nectarines…prices are very strong.

POTATOES & ONIONS
Availability has improved for jumbo and medium sized yellow onions, although the large sized onions will continue to command a significant price premium. The market remains firm for red onions.

Prices for all sizes of carton packed Idaho potatoes have seen a moderate decline this week as harvesting activity increases. Large sized potatoes continue to be priced higher compared to the smaller sized potatoes. Quality is very good, with very few #2 potatoes available…prices remain very strong for the #2’s.