Market Notes
August 23, 2018
POTATO MARKET UPDATE
We are in full supply for the holiday. In fact we are even slightly ahead of schedule. California crop is running steady from storage and we begin to harvest new fields in about three weeks. This will be a smooth transition. Organic yellow fingerlings are tight and what we do have is the best quality. The taters we are running now are a bit on the small side so jumbos remain available but not abundant. No holiday deals on jumbos this year. Yellow, red, and purple fingerlings are in good supply so mixes are easy as are individual colors can be packed as well. Pee-wee’s are easy but they will tighten up in a few weeks as demand increases. We have started some very early harvest of fingerlings in southern Colorado as a test, hoping the skins will hold. Organic russets will begin harvest in southern Colorado just after Labor Day and should be ready to load by the end of that week.
GREEN SCENE REMAINS LEAN
The days in central California remain cool which slows down the growth and reduces availability. Just three weeks ago the days were so hot that crews had to work under lights in the wee hours of the morning. Now the opposite is in effect. With steady demand the demand currently outweighs the supply. Our prices on most mixes and components have risen and we hope to hold them there as warmer weather is in the forecast. Hopefully no allocations will be necessary. In additional green news our Hawaiian basil program is in jeopardy this weekend as the islands are threatened by severe hurricane warnings. First and foremost we pray for the safety of the people and property. Airlines may shut down at any time and cargo may simply be refused due to weight restrictions. As usual, we will track and inform but these changes can happen very quickly so please be prepared for sudden updates.
OFF-SHORE BABY VEG GALORE
Let’s just start with the good stuff. This is a great time for off-shore baby vegetables. Product from Peru and non-rain affected Guatemala, are looking great. Only local product can rival what we are shipping right now. French beans are rust free and baby squash is clean and hardy. Snow peas and snap peas are gorgeous from Peru while the peas from Guatemala are nice and less expensive. Often this time of year yields rain damaged or overheated product so putting up a good box is a struggle. Not right now, price is in line and quality is sublime. Don’t miss out. Now for the boring stuff. Asparagus are all but done in Mexico but there is full supply from Peru with all sizes available and reasonable pricing. Blackberries out of Guatemala are strong while blues begin shipping from Peru in about three weeks.
NEW PRODUCE QUIZ – – WHAT AM I??
From my tree that can grow over 20 feet high, I am the largest of the citrus fruits. Originally from Asia, where I have been grown for over 4000 years, today I am also cultivated in Israel, California, Florida and other tropical and subtropical regions. I can be as big as a human’s head weighing up to 13 pounds. My thick, coarse, yellow/green/pink skin peels easily and depending on my variety I may be sweet, bitter, full of flavor or tasteless. My Chandler variety (popular in the Unites States) is very sweet and has pink flesh. I have two names; one is common while the other is a captain’s name from East India who left our seeds in Barbados on his journey back to England. I am very popular with the Vietnamese because of my significance to their New Year’s festivities. I have been considered by many to be one of the parents of the grapefruit, the other being a sweet orange tree. I have been candied, used in marmalade, added to fruit salads, cooked into a sauce, or simply eaten out of hand. I am a good source of vitamin C and potassium. I am also considered a stomachic, known to stimulate the appetite and to facilitate digestion.
Answer To Last Week’s Quiz:…MOREL MUSHROOMS…Congrats To All Winners
Call 908-789-4700 –Lisa or Richard– Fax 908-789-4702
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Culinary Specialty Produce, Inc., 2015