Freshspective
Wednesday, April 24, 2024 | Issue 143
Keep up with the most recent market trends in our Freshspective updates. Discover what's influencing conventional produce, organic options, temperature controlled capacity, and floral so you can plan ahead and avoid disruption.
Conventional Vegetables
Mexican asparagus from Caborca is ending this week. Volume will be primarily satisfied from Peru. Markets are soft but likely to strengthen leading up to the Mothers Day holiday.
Markets have settled as demand continues to soften but volume remains the same. We do expect conditions to start turning as we head into May and Florida starts to wind down. Coachella, California is looking to get starting this week. Outlook for Georgia looking to be around May 20th
Broccoli
[email protected]The Southeast, Texas, and California are all producing product right now. Volume is good and quality is excellent!
Cabbage
[email protected]
Supplies of cabbage are good in both Florida and Georgia. There is promotable volume with excellent quality! Please reach out to your Robinson Fresh representative for more details.
Celery supplies are in good shape this week with overall quality reported as excellent. The primary shipping location on the west coast is currently Oxnard with Salinas set to start in early June. Please reach out to your Robinson Fresh sales representative for more details.
Cucumbers
[email protected]Florida stays steady with harvesting, but we do expect Nogales to start winding down. Georgia’s outlook for harvesting is approximately May 10- 15
Greens
[email protected]Excellent quality and availability in Georgia through the month of May. Transition to the northern deals is expected to start around Father’s Day, expect a few weeks of limited supply as the northern programs are expected to be in full swing by early July.
Leaf Lettuce
[email protected]Iceberg and leaf lettuce supplies are limited this week. Planting gaps caused by spring rains combined with cooler than average weather have impacted supply. Warmer weather on the forecast should help to improve the situation over the next few weeks. The primary shipping location on the west coast is currently Salinas and Santa Maria. Please reach out to your Robinson Fresh sales representative for more details.
Potatoes
[email protected]Things remain tight in Florida with reds and yellows. We should see some improvement in the next few weeks as Northern Florida gets into better volumes. Quality should improve as well. Still, plenty of storage russets out of Idaho.
Yellow continues to remain short, but we expect the warm weather in Florida to help with yields. Georgia will start this week with no major volume yet, but outlook looks promising for next week. We do expect markets to remain strong as Mexico is coming to an end.
Sweet Corn
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Conventional Fruits
Apples
As we enter spring, we are still in a pretty good supply situation with apples out of Washington. We still have ample supplies of apples in storage for most varieties. Many varieties remain very promotable, and growers are actively pushing for advertisements on many of these varieties. There are a few varieties and packs that have tightened a little and are showing some small price increases. The items that are firming up are most Gala packs, but especially the 88 size and larger. Also, the Honeycrisp are starting to show some tightening on some of the sizes and grades but particularly the premium high-color fruit. Overall, we still have a large crop of apples to sell, and I expect to see attractive pricing on most varieties into the summer months this year. Regarding imports this season, the product will start arriving by vessel in larger volumes this week. The crop is reported to be down a little this year, but the quality is reported to be good.
Avocados
Three straight weeks of 1200 plus containers help stabilize the inventory demand supply equilibrium. Field pricing has been on a steady rise over the last 3 weeks in anticipation of the Cinco de Mayo holiday and we should see that pricing per Kilo stabilize at the field level begin to normalize going into next week. We see higher oil content and an increase of Negra fruit as we continue into the end of the season in June. Availability and willingness to cut remain high and pricing per kilo ensures that the flow of avocados through the end of the season will be steady.
- Supply and Quality of fruit is excellent.
- Pricing will be pushed upward until alternative countries of origin can be sources in May and June 2024
- Some stressed fruit is many regions is not going to be able to be shipped to the USA as fruit shows low PSI on the trees.
California-Colombia-Chile-Peru
They may contribute slightly they will combine for less than 15% of the total volume coming into the USA.
Bush Berries
[email protected]Blueberries - Supplies are ramping up very quickly out of Georgia, coolers are starting to fill. Quality is outstanding and the perfect time to run promotions!! North Carolina will start in a few weeks, so we expect good conditions on blueberries for the next month without issue.
Blackberries - Overall demand is down keep blackberry pricing lower as well. But overall, we continue to inch forward towards the Mexican season’s end in June.
Raspberries - Market is starting to trend down as more supplies come on, but we are not seeing the production hike and lack of demand like in Blues & Blacks.
Cantaloupe
Offshore cantaloupes continue to arrive at all ports. The peak size is regular 9ct followed by jumbo 9ct and 12ct. Quality and sugar remain strong. There should be 2 more weeks of strong arrivals and then the arrivals will slow as the domestic deal starts up.
Citrus
California Citrus:
Oranges: There are still some Washington navels in production as the transition to late lanes has begun. The crop is peaking on larger fruit and there are deals to be had on 40ct, 48ct, and 56ct navels. Quality remains nice with good eating characteristics.
Valencias have also started which will help with smaller sized oranges. Color looks great right now with brix levels in the 10-14 range. We will also see California Midknight Valencias in production later on this week as they will be available through June. These are seedless oranges with a phenomenal eating profile that could just be the right piece of fruit to transition to summer imports.
Cara Cara Oranges: We are nearing the end of harvesting as most will finish up the last week of April. Packing will continue on into May as the crop is peaking on larger choice oranges.
Lemons: Lemon market has been strengthening on smaller sizes (140s through 235s). As production continues in D1 and D2, we will continue to see a shortage on small fruit. Deals are to be had on larger fruit, don’t miss out!
Grapefruit: California is currently producing the Star Ruby variety which will go through June peaking on larger fruit 32ct/36ct/27ct. Quality is showing nice blush with a nice internal color and flavor.
Import Citrus:
Mandarins: Moroccan supplies are dwindling as the larger importers will be through during the first week of May. This will put a little added pressure on California markets.
Lemons: It has been a slower start from Argentina due to rains in the growing region. We will be starting to load out of Argentina this week and will see availability in the North East as soon as week 20. The lemon crop in Argentina is still peaking on larger fruit, so we will continue to see strong markets on smaller fruit.
Grapes
Due to compressed Chilean bulk vessel scheduling week 15, we will see 3.7 million boxes arrive at the end of the month. This volume should help the industry make a less stressful transition to Mexican supplies in May and keep the spot market for the best quality fruit stable, albeit still high in comparison to many past seasons. Expect mostly Red Seedless post marketing order, this will keep the green spot market tight.
Honeydew
Honeydew continues to arrive at all ports with volume being lighter as northern Mexican honeydew ramp up. Quality and sugar are good with sizing peaking on 5/6ct.
Limes
Region: Veracruz, Mexico
Crop Update: Currently to crop is peaking on 200/230/175; the weather forecast is showing rain in the forecast for a couple of days this week.
Market Intel: The demand for limes has been steady.
According to the USDA the crossings thru Texas from last week were at 415.
Sizing Profile: Peak sizes 200/230/175
Size distribution: 110-3%, 150-8%, 175-19%, 200-31%, 230-25%, 250-14%
Quality: Quality issues being reported: oil spots, blanching, scarring, skin breakdown.
Looking Ahead: For the next two weeks the volume will increase especially in the mid-range sizes
Mangos
We are seeing supply becoming available from Michoacan, majority on small fruit such as 10/12’s. Field price in this growing region has been increasing starting this week, many growers are fighting this increase, but overall supply is less than last year. Oaxaca continues to ship Tommy’s with current sizing also on small fruit 10/12’s followed by few 9’s, pricing has not changed yet. No quality issues to report, fruit is coming in solid with good overall appearance.
Next Growing region will be Nayarit that is expected to open in the next 10-20 days.
Papaya
SUPPLY NOT MEETING DEMAND FOR PAPAYA IN THE U.S. MARKET.
Supply conditions remain tight with little to no surplus fruit in the U.S. market. Crop yields in Mexico remain low with a very strong internal market, Mexican growers continue to favor in country sales versus exports. Weather conditions in Mexico remain similar with Crop still showing significant delays. Inventories remain either SOLD OUT or with very little fruit to offer for transactional sales. Prices in Mexico are expected to remain high keeping most fruit in the local market and reducing the overall availability of Papaya for the USA. Growers will continue working on securing good quality product to keep up with USA demand. Pricing is High with supply NOT meeting demand in the USA market. Majority of sizes between 12s to 16s with NO Surplus in ANY calibers. Quality is reported as good with fruit showing clean skin and little scarring a bit more speckling seen on latest arrivals. Forecast has conditions of Tight supply for next two weeks.
Market Intel: Not Enough supply to service demand.
Pears
We are currently shipping good volumes of both green and red Anjou pears out of the Northwest this week. The market on Anjou pears has tightened up significantly over the last month and prices have jumped up as a result. The movement on Anjou has been exceptional this year and we will see higher prices from now until the crop finishes sometime this summer. The tightest fruit is the high-quality large fruit which will become scarcer as the year goes on. The Bartlett pears have finished out of Washington, but we now have imported Bartlett pears arriving at East Coast ports this week. The Bosc pear crop is now finished out of Washington but there are imports arriving from Chile and Argentina available on the East coast.
Pineapple
Availability: Supply NOT meeting demand USA Market.
• Growing region: MEXICO- Volume remains low with most of the countries production being sold internally. Growers continue to sell in MX helped by a strong MX Peso making the local market a better sale with lower risks vs export. Transportation out of Mexico is improving but remains tight due to limited availability in trucks which continues to weigh heavy on growers as they decide to send MX pines into the USA. Mexican fruit Quality is meeting USA specs with GOOD internal condition and higher brixs. Prices are high on all counts out of Mexico and Costa Rica. COSTA RICA- Volume remains low AT PACKING with expectation to improve in the coming weeks. NO surplus fruit available to pack currently. Expectation is that volume will increase towards the beginning of May and there will be more availability to ship. The USA market remains high on all counts with supply NOT meeting demand in the USA. Costa Rica is under mostly rainy conditions with some fair weather expected this week.
• Quality & Condition: MX – Good fruit conditions very high brixs with small fruit still as most abundant, weather is good for Pineapple production. CR- Quality is reported as good with sizing curve mostly on smaller fruit.
• Movement: USDA showing a Low number last week with a volume of only 1000 loads crossing FROM Costa Rica for the entire continental USA, this continues to be a very low number for this time in the year.
• Forecast: NO surplus fruit available at any shipping points offered by large Grower Shippers at this time. Market is Higher with good demand this week.
Strawberries
California/Baja - Increased supplies due to better weather and the Salinas/Watsonville growing areas starting production. Although Baja should continue harvest through early May, the plants are past their peak performance. California and Baja fruit have occasional bruising, fair color, light shoulders, green tips and misshapen. Medium sizing on older fruit, Santa Maria new crop much larger. California - Santa Maria week of 4/22 is forecasted for low clouds then sun, becoming mostly sunny for the weekend. The week of 4/29 is forecasted to be sunny Monday and Tuesday, becoming mostly sunny Wednesday through Friday, mostly cloudy on Saturday and occasional rain on Sunday. Highs in the 60s and lows in the 40s for the week of 4/22 and 4/29. Oxnard week of 4/22 is forecasted for low clouds and sun, becoming mostly sunny Friday and Saturday and mostly sunny on Sunday. The week of 4/29 is forecasted on Monday and Tuesday to be sunny, becoming mostly sunny Wednesday through Saturday and then showers and rain on Sunday. Highs in the 60s and lows in the upper 40s to low 50s for week of 4/22 and 4/29.
Watermelon
Florida production is in full swing as markets have leveled out after historical highs to start out the month. With production increasing as we move into may, we in turn expect demand to increase as summer resets continue to take place across the country.
Northern Mexico production has started as well with good demand. Similar to Florida, production and demand are expected to pick up into May.
Organic Fruits & Vegetables
Organic Apples
[email protected]We had a large crop of organic apples this year for most varieties. There are good supplies in storage on the organic Gala, organic Granny, and organic Fuji, as well as other less popular varieties. The organic Pinks did have some freeze damage at the end of the year, so supplies of this variety will be less as we enter early summer. Overall, we have great supplies and great quality on the organics this year, which gives us a great opportunity to grow this category this season.
Organic Dry Vegetables
[email protected]Dry vegetables are still available out of Nogales but continue to be hit and miss on a day-to-day basis. Prices have come down some from the highs we experienced back in February.
Organic Onions
[email protected]Organic minis have slowly started out of Northern Mexico- loading out of Nogales. Market remains elevated with limited supply.
Organic Pears
[email protected]We still have good supplies of organic Anjou out of the Northwest this month and the quality is very good. Organic Bartletts are finished out of Washington, but we are now seeing good volumes of imported organic Bartletts arriving from Argentina this week. The quality is reported to be good this season.
Organic Potatoes
[email protected]Organic potatoes are still coming out of Washington and Colorado with good supplies on russets and yellows. Red potatoes out of both locations are a little tighter and quality is rough. We should start to see new crop potatoes available at the beginning of May.
Organic Squash
[email protected]Hard squash is still going strong out of Mexico and there are plenty to load from Nogales. There are still plenty of varieties available to load out of Nogales.
Organic Sweet Potatoes
[email protected]California sweet potatoes are still going strong. Supply should remain steady, for the most part; but we might start to see certain varieties and sizes tighten up over the next month. New crop will not start until the middle of August.
Transportation
Refrigerated Truckload
Spot-market rates continued to slide through February, leveling off in early March at extreme lows. The marketplace remains muted--where pockets of tightness appear, they are doing so in an abbreviated, but volatile manner.
East Coast – Early February was busy with a strong floral season out of the Southeast. As that demand has subsided, market conditions have continued to soften across the entirety of the East Coast. We should see markets shifting as pockets of produce start to kick off. South Florida produce is the kickoff for the domestic produce season and is a strong indicator of what to expect from a capacity climate across the country.
Central U.S. – Weather has remained mild throughout the North Central region driving a softening in the market quicker than normal. Many “protect from freeze” shippers transitioned back to ambient strategies because of warm weather earlier than expected. The South Central has had and will continue to have capacity readily available through the next month.
West Coast – The Pacific Northwest has felt some weather disruption, but the impacts have not been lasting. Intra- and long-haul California markets remain very soft, and we expect rates will remain depressed.
Work with your C.H. Robinson team to stay informed on regionalized opportunities and how to best schedule freight to capitalize on the best price and service.
GLOBAL UPDATES
PANAMA CANAL - The Panama Canal is facing challenges due to both delays and drought, impacting operations. The drought has caused water levels in the canal to drop, making it difficult for vessels to pass through efficiently.
Recently, shippers have noticed a reduction in disruptions caused by low water levels along the Panama Canal. Carriers are resuming transits through the waterway for certain east-west services, and they are also exploring alternative options to transport cargo.
PORT OF SAVANNAH - In October, the Port of Savannah experienced robust activity, handling 449,000 TEUs, marking its fourth busiest month on record and registering a notable 5% increase compared to the same month in 2019, which was unaffected by the pandemic. This growth suggests that the Port of Savannah is not only handling increased overall cargo but is also strategically investing in infrastructure to accommodate the specific needs of the fresh produce sector. With a focus on facilitating trade and improving efficiency, the Port of Savannah aims to provide a more conducive environment for handling perishable goods. The expansion aligns with broader efforts to meet growing demands and underscores the port"s commitment to maintaining its status as a key gateway for imports, offering world-class services to its customers. This development is likely to have positive implications for the agricultural and perishable goods industry, fostering smoother and more reliable transportation of produce through the port. As the Port of Savannah continues to invest in its infrastructure and capacity, stakeholders in the produce import sector can anticipate improved handling processes, reduced bottlenecks, and an overall more streamlined experience. The expansion not only reflects the port"s adaptability to growing trade volumes but also signals a commitment to meeting the specialized needs of industries such as fresh produce, contributing to the port"s significance as a vital trade hub in the region.
OCEAN CARRIER CONSOLIDATION - Fresh produce growers and shippers attempting to move cargo globally via ocean vessels are dealing with scenarios where ocean carriers genuinely dictate some markets. They dictate and determine the marketability and viability of export markets for many fresh produce exporters. Shippers are being forced to commit earlier to ocean lines to reserve space for upcoming seasons, and spot market space on vessels is nearly impossible to secure.
RED SEA SHIPPING CRISIS – Hundreds of ships are currently diverting around Africa to avoid attacks in the Red Sea, causing delays to global trade and inflicting months of disruption and imminent price rises on supplies. Crisis has led to double insurance costs and soaring demands for security services, which has raised prices and affected availability of fresh produce from Africa and Australia.
DEMURRAGE/DETENTION CHARGES - Shippers negotiating with ocean carriers or freight forwarders on perishable cargo contracts should request as much free time at destination as possible to reduce the risk of detention/demurrage charges when inspections/fumigations or drayage capacity constraints delay cargo delivery at destination. Unavoidable and unprecedented demurrage and detention charges due to delays in turning cargo at destination continue into 2024.
For more global freight insights please visit Global Freight Markets Insights | C.H. Robinson (https://www.chrobinson.com/en-us/resources/insights-and-advisories/global-forwarding-insights/)
Floral
Mother's Day floral rush is in full swing. Crops are coming a little bit ahead of schedule which is causing some capacity issues on the air side from origin. Airlines are running about 48 hours behind schedule. From what we are hearing from suppliers, it should be a very big holiday if not the biggest yet.