Organic Market Update #317

Week 17, 2023

Tropicals

Supplies have been good on Fair Trade Organic Royal Star Papayas from Mexico. Fruit sizing remains larger than normal and much of the fruit is coming in with higher color—great for impulse sales. Organic Pineapple supplies from Costa Rica have been steady and quality has been excellent. Fruit should be readily available for the rest of April. Organic Ataulfo Honey Mangos from Mexico are in peak of season into May. Mexican Organic Round Mangos are more limited than usual for this time of the season but should improve in May heading into June. Organic Hass Avocado pricing is firm overall, with 48ct fruit availability strong for the rest of the month. Organic Dragon Fruit will be available next week.

Apples

Organic Honeycrisp Apples continue to tighten in supply. Washington growers do not expect to run out of product until July, but production will be very limited. Organic Gala and Granny Smith apple supplies are getting tighter, with high and rising prices. Imports are expected to arrive in mid-May, taking the pressure off and offering a fresh apple supply with value pricing. Organic Ambrosia apples are expected to finish for the season in the first week of May.

Tomatoes

Organic Grape Tomatoes from FL will be promotable through the end of the month. Quality has been great, there is plenty of products available. Organic Cherry and Rainbow Cherry Tomato production from FL is starting to slow down with transition to GA in early May. Organic Roma Tomato markets are getting active, and prices will rise as fields transitions in Mexico. Expect a gap in product crossing into the US is limiting supply. Organic Cluster Tomatoes are in excellent supply with some attractive pricing available.

Asparagus

Organic Asparagus fields in Mexico are in transition. The weather has been extremely warm, and the product is starting to cross with seeding/spreading challenges, hampering availability. Domestic Organic Asparagus is available, but pricing will be higher. Sourcing will transition to California, with a small amount of product out of New Jersey heading to the end of April.

Onions

The first of the season Georgia-grown Organic Vidalia Sweet Onions are now available. Organic Red, Yellow, and White Premium Onions are winding down out of Yerington, Nevada. The new crop El Centro grown Organic Onions should be ready to start shipping the first week of May. Volume might be tight at the start of El Centro but there will not be any major gaps.

Lettuces

East Coast Organic Romaine, Green Leaf, and Red Leaf Lettuce are currently being harvested out of Bainbridge, Georgia with strong, steady volume. Organic Lettuce volume out of California has improved and costs should decrease on steady availability as May approaches. Pennsylvania and New Jersey Organic Lettuces are expected to begin in early to mid-May. Organic Romaine Hearts and Iceberg Lettuces are showing signs of improvement from California growers. Organic Romaine Hearts have remained steady throughout April as supplies never tightened and pricing has remained consistent. Organic Iceberg Lettuce costs will remain elevated as supply volume increases.

Berries

Organic Strawberry prices are improving as the Santa Maria, CA region has begun harvests. Quality is excellent and supplies are improving daily. Baja, Mexico fruit continues to be harvested and supplies are steady. Organic Blueberry prices will start easing off as domestic production has started. Harvests will begin increasing weekly, with some promotable volume and pricing in early May out of GA. Quality has been excellent on the first arrivals of GA fruit, while CA production is slowly increasing. Organic Blackberries are steady, and prices remain on the higher side on lower volume. Organic Raspberry supplies will be steady to short out of Baja. Central Mexico production is all but finished and CA fruit is delayed from earlier weather and rain challenges.