Market Notes
October 5, 2017

TRUCKERS RUN AMUCKERS

In a climate where regulation is looking to be eased this one is a doosey. It seems that the insurance companies have now required truckers to use tracking devices along with their logs to verify speeds and driving times. The use of this or rather the lack of use of this has a direct effect on insurance rates and many speculate that it will not be long before receivers and shippers require this information as well. Big brother wants to watch a little more but the truckers are crying foul. There is a law that is being slowly brought to fruition that will eventually make this form of recording mandatory. Truckers are up in arms and if their arms are up then they can’t be on a steering wheel. So, along with all the other logistics it is now tough to get a truck from Washington State to Los Angeles. Trucks from Idaho to the east coast are up sixty per cent. And all this started yesterday. Not sure what this type of strike will achieve, but it does not seem to be the way to negate the law. Either way it is going to be an interesting month/season and we do not see this as a bookers market. Do stay tuned!

GREEN SCENE REALLY MEAN

We don’t know of a single grower in the Salinas Valley that isn’t looking very forward to the Yuma and southern exposure season. In other words, they cannot wait to get out of town. It has been a very tough season this year. Initiated with intimidating rains and concluding with boiling days and nights, who wouldn’t look forward to new fields? To that end the Salinas migration will be notably early this year. Most transitions will be complete a week or two before Thanksgiving. While we look forward to better and more available greens we still have to deal with the difficulties of the Salinas Valley for a few more weeks. This is where teen-spinach is steadily going up in price. This is also where the arugula is allocated up to ninety-five percent. This is the fertile valley where both organic and conventional baby kale are nowhere to be found. Salinas did not live up to its reputation this season. Hopefully Yuma will serve us better. Expect continued allocations and price increases until the new fields are in processing.

EAST COAST SPUD DUD

A quick update to our forward distribution customers on the east coast. The truckload we received at our distribution facility had some ugly potatoes throughout the lot. Fortunately they were dry ugly which makes them easy to remove, and that is exactly what we are going to do. Unfortunately that means our distribution will slow down but when you do get our fingerlings we know you will be pleased. We will be in touch to discuss scheduled deliveries.

NEW PRODUCE QUIZ – – WHAT AM I??

I am a native to the Alps, but along with my 50 relatives have been grown throughout Europe and in the USA as well. We are all sweet members of the parsley family. I am totally consumable. From roots to seeds and stems to leaves there is always a use for us. I have both medicinal and culinary properties. Before dinner I am used to flavor the Vermouth in your perfect martini. During dinner my young shoots will be blanched and added to your salad, or perhaps the bread you are eating is made with dough from my ground roots. In Greenland my foliage is eaten as a vegetable. For dessert, you’ll find my crystallized stems on the cake or used as a sweetener in stewed rhubarb or custards. After dinner it’s my seeds that flavor your aperitif if you are drinking Chartreuse or Benedictine. Medicinally I am used as an anti-inflammatory and I out sell Alka-Seltzer in China. Though my name may imply it, I still haven’t earned my wings.

Answer To Last Week’s Quiz…CROSNE,CHINESE ARTICHOKE, CHOROGI STACHYS…Congrats To All Winners

Call 908-789-4700 –Lisa or Richard– Fax 908-789-4702
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Culinary Specialty Produce, Inc., 2015