DLJ Produce

Table Grapes

Red Seedless

The red seedless volume will continue arriving past the marketing order taking effect on April 10th. Good inventories are carrying on both coasts, with expected arrivals to continue. But
arrivals will finish quickly once the volume stops from Chile. Quality will be the true test of what is good enough to hold and stretch as long as possible. Timco, Jack Salute, and Sweet Celebration will make up a majority of the arrivals. FOB pricing will slowly firm towards later in the month, then jump as we approach crop finish. Mexico is really late for the red start in mid-May… this will give Chile plenty of time to clean up and may even gap before volume starts in Mexico.

Green Seedless

The times are changing… for the green seedless grape crop. Some lots of weaker fruit remain at a value, but in general, green seedless arrival volume will stop very quickly arriving. The crop is extremely short on the back end and Chile will only send a limited amount of storage fruit this season. This in turn will create a vacuum and keep supplies very tight over the next 3 – 4 weeks. Expect FOB pricing to jump extremely high due to a lack of supplies in an effort to slow down movement. Not enough supply from Chile will arrive to bridge the gap to Mexico. With Mexico starting 10 – 14 days late, there will absolutely be a gap before a lackluster Chile finish and the first picks in Mexico.

Black Seedless

Black seedless remains promotable, along with red seedless. Volume on blacks will continue into late April. Midnight Beauty and Sweet Favor will allow for increasing arrival volume.
Continue to promote until volume on arrivals starts to fall off on arrivals post-marketing order. Keep mixing in black seedless volume for the color break. Quality has been strong on new varieties that replaced the old guard. Now is the time to focus on black seedless.

Red Globe

Peru is done for the season, with a shortage of red globe availability hitting very quickly. With poor growing conditions and the digging out of unprofitable acreage, the red globe crop from Chile is going to be extremely light. Expect a short demand-exceeds crop at the finish from Chile. FOB pricing has already been firmed on the East and will follow on the West. Expect a sizeable gap from Chile finish to Mexico start in June.

Tree Fruit – Imports

Peach

Time for the finish, as only a small amount of fruit, is left to arrive. Arrivals will stop post-marketing orders. Expect FOB pricing to remain the same as importers clean up inventory. California is way behind due to cold and rainy weather. First peaches aren’t expected out of CA until late in April, even from microclimate areas that start early every year. Hold tight on promoting the CA start until a clear picture of harvest dates and quality is guaranteed.

Nectarine

Same thing on a yellow and white nectarine. The import crop is finishing quickly and only another week left to go. Quality will be decent to the finish line, but volume will wane. California will start late as well, with the nectarine crop expected to really kick off in late April or early May. Hold on to promotions until the cold weather patterns work themselves out and harvest dates can be better projected. Zee Fire will be the first variety to bring true size and volume, but that may not be until at least mid-May.

Plums

The plum volume will continue on late-season varieties. Blake Kat and Angelino on the black plums, Happy Giant and Flavor-Fall on the red. Plum arrivals will soon surpass peach and nectarine as we reach the finish. FOB’s have come down to their lowest point of the season, but will likely firm in April once new arrivals finish for the season. Continue to promote plum as the peach and nectarine crop finish. CA plums won’t be ready to kick off until mid-to-late May.

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