Market Update #349

Week 49, 2023

Organic Vegetables

Early December marks the start of peak production in Punta Gorda, Florida with Organic Greens, and Cooking Vegetables in excellent supply. This includes Organic Kales, Bok Choy & Baby Bok Choy, Red & Green Cabbage, Rainbow Chard, Green & Red Dandelion, Parsleys, Dill, Cilantro, Collards, Eggplant, Green Peppers, Mini Mix Sweet Peppers, Jalapenos, and Shishito Peppers. Organic Leaf and Romaine Lettuce crops are also coming into season in Florida, and will be in good supply with excellent quality, with steady prices expected. Production of Organic Zucchini is dropping, and Organic Cucumbers will gap until spring, and these items will be sourced from Mexico.  Organic Romaine Hearts have not experienced a change in availability, as supply has improved as more production is available in the growing regions of Arizona, Southern California, and Mexico. 

Citrus

Organic Mandarins supply is getting stronger with most large players in production, with the two main varieties for December are Organic Clementine and Organic Satsuma. Organic Navel Oranges are in stock with the early Fukumoto/Beck varieties and show superb quality outside of California. Organic Lemons from California are showing good quality, but prices have not decreased as the fruit is taking longer than usual to color up on the trees. Prices are poised to drop by mid-December. Organic Grapefruit are in strong supply with Mexico and California both producing. Seeded Organic Daisy Tangerines and new crop Organic Pummelos will start their season this week.

Berries

Organic Blueberry prices continue to come down as availability improves. Quality has been excellent out of Peru. Organic Blackberry supplies are improving out of Mexico. Quality has been better after a tough stretch this fall. Organic Raspberries will become limited as December continues. A natural gap in the growing cycle will keep fruit tight and prices higher out of Mexico. Organic Strawberries will start out of Florida in very limited fashion. Baja, Mexico fruit is starting as well with light volume. Pricing will remain high as fruit continues to be very limited overall, but quality has been good. Greenhouse grown Organic Strawberries from Ohio will continue in modest availability this winter in 10/12oz clamshells.

Beans

15lb Organic Green Beans will be available for December. Expect steady volume into and through Christmas. 25lb Organic Green Beans will also be available from Florida.

Broccoli/Cauliflower

While production in California remains stable throughout growing region transition, Organic Broccoli continues to be produced in large quantities along the East Coast, from Virginia to North Carolina. Although costs increased upwards just after Thanksgiving, they are reasonable. The availability of Organic Cauliflower has significantly decreased since Thanksgiving. Production will have a difficult month in December because of anticipated increases in costs and constraints on supplies.

Tropicals

Organic Rambutan from Guatemala in now available in a 5lb bulk case. Organic Kiwano Melons, Organic Passion Fruit, and Organic Feijoa will all be available in limited supplies from California in December. Organic Papaya from Mexico will be steady. Overall fruit quality has been good. Organic Yucca Root will be available from Florida for a limited time. Organic Dragon Fruit from California is done for the season.

Peppers

Organic Color Bell Peppers are extremely short in supply. Canadian greenhouses have finished with their crop, and Mexico does not start to ramp up until the second week of December. Prices will be high and there will be gaps on some of the packaged Organic Color Bell Peppers. Right now, Israel is the only Organic Pepper available. This market is expected to improve slightly by Christmas.

Apples/Pears

Growers are flush with plenty of excellent quality Organic Apples right now, one particular varietal to highlight this month is the Organic SugarBee Apple. New crop Organic Cosmic Crisp Apples are available. They will be limited for the first few weeks, but excellent supplies will be available into January and beyond. Organic Golden Delicious Apples are gapping but are expected back in mid-December. They will be very sporadic and limited for the season. Organic Green & Red Anjou, Bosc, Concorde, and Comice Pears continue in peak season supply and quality. Organic Bartlett Pears and Starkrimson Red Pears will finish for the season during mid-December.