DLJ Produce

Table Grapes

Red Seedless

The last boats are in and the industry has wised up that Mexico and Coachella will be late starting harvest on red grapes, which has created a hot market for good red seedless. Quality will be varied, with cheaper issue-related fruit available, but good solid lots are beginning to demand a premium. Expect FOB pricing to continue to firm over the next 10 – 14 days taking the opportunity of no competition from Mexico. Supplies will continue to lighten up as we get close to the other starts. Hold on for the ride.

Green Seedless

the green grape update is that there are no green grapes. Imported greens only remain in a very minimal way and are mainly non-existent. Mexico is late to start, as Jalisco is done on questionable quality, and the northern regions are still not set to go. We should see the first pickings of some Early Sweet and Perlette this week, but it will be extremely minimal. Better supplies expected the week of 5/17 when more growers begin, but true promo volume will not be seen until June. Its same thing with Coachella, on the late side of a May start.

Black Seedless

the black grape crop is finishing out really quickly based on quality. Enough supplies remain to carry through this week but expect it to wrap up quickly after that. Mexico will be the end of the month, so the quality of the late Chilean fruit may create a small gap to fill before Mexico begins picking Unknown variety.

Red Globe

Red globe market is on fire, due to limited arrivals based on rain crops, as well as good demand. Supplies look to clean up quickly this week at increasing FOB’s. Hold on for another 7 – 10 days, then expects imports to finish. The first red globes from Mexico will not likely start until late June, so there will be a sizeable gap that is typically not seen.

Tree Fruit Central CA

Peaches/ Nectarines/ Apricots

Harvest remains light out of both Arvin and Kettlemen. Mainly white peaches being picked, along with apricots. Yellow peach and yellow nectarine have not seen any volume yet from either region. The size will increase a little this week, but still peaking on 64’s and 72’s. True volume won’t hit until Central CA begins harvest. Most growers will start to scratch this week, but promotable volume is on the horizon for the end of May / early June. Due to the light start, FOB pricing has remained high. The best focus right now is on apricots. Also, pricing structures are expected to remain higher this season due to increased minimum wage, shortage of labor, and Covid related costs.

Cherries

Harvest continues on the early cherry crop, but still in a light way before volume really ramps up. Rains last week should only have a small impact. Growers will continue to finish out the Tioga variety crop, then transition into more Coral variety as harvest moves up north to Central CA next week. Size is small, with fruit peaking on 11.5 and 12 rows currently and larger fruit being taken by export markets at big money. Sizing will pick up incrementally as we move into Central and Northern CA harvest. Expect the big pushes to be in late May and early June for the best promo volume.

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