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Table Grapes – Imports
Red Seedless – We are on the home stretch for the 2019 import red crop. The marketing order has taken hold and the last volume arrival of the season has hit on the West Coast. Good supplies of Crimson, Timco and Sweet Celebration remain and will carry for the next 2 – 3 weeks as importers continue to promote red movement. Continue to push for red grapes sales as quality is strong and will carry into early to mid-May. Mexico is not anticipating starting until 5/20, so Chilean fruit will allow for the gap to be bridged.
Green Seedless – Arrivals of green seedless have finished as importers work to finish out the remainder of the storage crop. Supplies are light as we near the finish. Expect the final fruit to clean up over the next 7 – 10 days and allow for Mexico to take center stage at the start. FOB’s will remain strong due to demand and to help bridge the gap. Quality will stay strong through the finish.
Black Seedless – Good supplies of black seedless will carry for the next 3 – 4 weeks as we see the last of the arrivals for the season. Quality on Autumn Royal variety is very strong and allow for good promotable volume on the late season crop. Mexico will not begin until mid-May, allowing for Chilean fruit to help bridge the gap.
Red Globe – Volume on red globes have arrived to both coasts and will provide a good opportunity to promote importer Globes in May. Continue to carry and promote through the month.
Table Grape – Mexico / Coachella
Mexico – Harvest will begin in a very limited way in Mexico this week, but growers anticipate not having enough sugar content to make border crossings. True volume on Early Sweet and Prime variety greens is not expected until between 5/6 – 5/10. Volume will peak at the end of May on green. Red seedless are delayed and growers are not anticipating starting reds until late May around 5/20. This will be a late start and allow focus to remain on imported reds.
Coachella – Delays will be seen out of Coachella as well, with greens and reds not expected until late May. Greens will come first, but reds will be right behind around 5/27 – 6/1 start on reds. FOB prices will be higher than Mexico, and harder to compete, due to higher labor costs in the US. Expect Coachella to compliment Mexico, but with decreased growing acreage it will remain a niche deal.
California Tree Fruit
Apricot – First harvest in any shippable volume is expected the week of 5/6, with decent supplies out of the gate. Volume will be up from the disastrous crop last season and will allow for good promos in late May and June. Being carrying out the gate, with our Kylese variety being a great starting point for starting to push mid-May.
Yellow Nectarine – Growers will begin to harvest in a minimal way in both Arvin and Kettlemen this week, but fruit will be small (64’s / 72’s) and have elongated tips. Border rows and more mature areas of the early field will be picked. Supplies won’t start ramping up until 5/6, with volume not hitting until the week of 5/20 when Central CA comes into production on Zee Fire variety.
White Peach – similar to yellow nectarine, a few small harvest will start this week in both Arvin and Kettlemen. Fruit will peak small and be on the fence with sugar content. Harvest will pick up by 5/6 and some shippable supplies will be available. Expect mainly 64 size trays, with few larger at the start. Volume from Central CA will not kick in until late May.
Yellow Peach – yellow peach harvest is behind the white peach and yellow nectarine, with growers expecting to get into the field for the first time around 5/6 to start harvest. Light to start, but volume will increase by the back half of May once Central CA comes into production. Good crop volume this year, so anticipate promoting peach from June – October. Supplies should pick up and we can begin promoting in volume by the week of May 20th.
