CELERY:  Folks just don’t eat celery when it is this warm. But think Bloody Mary! Michigan celery has issues, slight pith in Salinas, but not a real issue. 

CILANTRO: Extra supplies in California and plenty of homegrown product around the country. 

LETTUCE: Next week is a short week (Labor Day). Transportation will be problematic on Monday, but by Wednesday we should be back to normal.  Coming off of a warm weather week, we should have good supplies of Iceberg lettuce.  With demand still light, the market should be in single – digits next week. 

GREEN BELLS :  California is certainly loaded with peppers. Prime bells in Santa Maria area.  You will not find them any cheaper than now. 

RED AND GOLD BELLS :  Both on the short side, demand excellent. Inland finished. Head to the Coast for new crop.           

GRAPES: A slow moving week on all colors of grapes.  There are good supplies of everything.  For the red seedless grapes we will start seeing Crimson and Scarlet Royals next week.  Thompsons are plentiful.  Wine (juice) grapes will start next week in a small way; get orders in early. 

ORANGES: As the summer season starts to transition into the fall season, we are into the later stages of the Valencia oranges.  Small sized fruit will continue to become limited.  With schools demanding more small oranges, and most of the remaining fruit being big, pricing for 113’s and 138’s will increase weekly.  The quality of the oranges remains very high and the sugar levels elevated.   

LEMONS: Production from the desert region has been pushed back a few weeks due to small sizing, but we look forward to domestic desert lemons to commence harvest around the middle of the month. Central and coastal lemons continue to bring good money on adequate demand.  Small sized fruit is still limited but available.  Imports continue to arrive weekly on both coasts.  

ONIONS: With addition of new harvesting areas: Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Idaho and Utah, consumers have options to purchase Yellows.  California onions continue to be harvested, but the districts have moved north.  Single digit pricing for a #50 sack will still be available next week. 

GREEN ONIONS:  Adverse weather (mucho rain) in Mexico has played havoc on the green onion market.  In the green onion producing region of Mexico an abundant amount of rain has caused a stoppage of harvesting, as well as washed out a few commuting roads.  This will be short lived, as crews were returning to work by this weekend.  But the gap will carryover into next week before we see adequate supplies to adjust the market.    

STRAWBERRY: Almost 4.5 million flats shipped last week which is by far California’s  biggest August. Wide range in price and none of it’s shiny but we’re finding lots that are working. Mostly medium sized berries and stems are limited but orders are getting filled. 

Raspberries. Blackberries and Blueberries make sure to prebook.  

BROCCOLI: Still very strong demand from across the Pond on limited amounts of place packed export 38s. The rest of the market has strengthened but it won’t get crazy as long as there is so much “local”.  

CAULIFLOWER:  Our summer weather is bringing it on, unfortunately not more demand along with it. Prices will be back in half.   

LEAF:  What’s getting packed is very nice but the field is still wrestling with mildew and now burn. 

LEEKS: Good supplies available with excellent quality.   

PARSLEY, ITALIAN PARSLEY AND KALE : Excellent supply and quality.  

COLORED POTATOES:  Reds, whites and yellows one stop shop in Stockton. 

CANTALOUPES:The Labor Day ads have definitely put a dent on the availability. A majority of the ads are on 9’s but due to demand exceeds, 12’s have been the sub size. Orders through the weekend and next week look strong. Large sizes will be tight but available for advanced orders.   

HONEYDEWS:Honeydews have had good movement as well with a little more availability. Expect good quality and pricing through next week.