Organic Market Update #237

Week 39, 2021

Fall Fruit

Organic Kiwi Berries from Oregon are in excellent supply. Late September and early October will be the best time of the year to promote these delicious super fruits. Organic Pomegranates from California are also promotable, with the current focus on 30-36ct and transitioning to 24-28ct in October. Peak season will be mid-October through November. Fresh crop Organic Cranberries are being harvested in late September and early October. Organic Persimmons with be available starting in October, with the Fuyu Persimmon variety available in early October. Hachiya Persimmons, which will start in mid to late October, are considered an astringent type of persimmon, inedible until fully ripe. Once ripened the inside should have an almost like a jelly consistency before and will be very sweet with some honey flavor undertones when eaten.

Specialty

Organic Passion Fruit, Kiwano Melons, Organic Red/Magenta Flesh Dragon Fruit are available this week. Organic Turmeric production from Hawaii will finish this week.  Look for Organic Hawaiian Turmeric to return some time in December. Organic Drink & Eat Coconuts and Young Thai Coconuts will be back in stock this week, as Supplies have been very short due to container and shipment delays. Organic Figs have seen very high demand and supplies have dropped sharply on the Organic Black Mission variety out of California. 

Peppers

Organic Red, Orange, and Yellow Bell Peppers from Canada continue to see strong supplies. Organic Mini Pepper bags from Mexico will continue to have availability in September and entering October.

Artichokes

Organic Artichokes from California will remain in steady supply, with excellent quality on 18ct out of Castroville. CA.

Hothouse Tomatoes

Organic Beefsteak Tomatoes are promotable as east coast harvests remain strong, Mexico has started new crops, and the Canadian fall deal is just beginning. Supplies will be steady and quality excellent. Organic Cluster Tomatoes are tight in late September. Canadian supplies are very light as fall harvests have not started, and Mexico has very little supply as new crops won’t harvest until mid-October. Quebec will have increased volumes of new crop greenhouse Organic Tomatoes in October. The 12/16oz Beefsteak package will return, along with Cherry-on-the-Vines and Cocktail.

Berries

California Organic Blackberry supplies are declining with prices on the rise. By early October fruit out of Mexico will begin and ramp up in a big way, pushing prices back down by the middle of October. Organic Blueberries out of all regions are in very tight supply with limited Peruvian fruit starting to arrive with very high prices. Organic Raspberry and Strawberry supplies out of California continue to decline. Some Mexican fruit will come on, but strong and rising prices are expected to remain until the new year.

Grapes

Organic Black, Green, and Red Seedless Grapes are in excellent supply. Organic Biodynamic Thompson Grapes in paper totes are expected to continue into early October. Organic Thomcord Grapes are in good steady supply and should continue until the middle to end of October.

Tomatoes

Organic Snacking and Grape Tomatoes from PA are winding down in supplies. In late October/early November, Florida is expected to begin new crops. Organic Cherry Tomatoes will be available from South Carolina and Mexico, and quality should be excellent. Organic Roma Tomatoes continue to be available from PA and OH growers, and quality has been excellent. Organic Vine Ripe Tomatoes continue in season from Lancaster County PA. Quality has been excellent, and supplies are expected to be steady through October from these high tunnels grown fields.

Citrus

Organic Grapefruit supplies are very tight until new crop production begins. Organic Lemon supplies are sporadic at best, with fruit coming from California and Mexico. Supplies should continue to improve weekly until steady supply of prime sizes become available in late October. Organic Limes out of Mexico are in firm but steady supply. Organic California Valencia Oranges are done for the season. Expect a gap until November, when a little Mexican fruit will become available. The first California Organic Navel Oranges will be available by late October.