DLJ Produce - Marketing Report
Week of October 5th – October 11th
13260 Daum Drive
City of Industry, CA 91746
626 330 – 6849
As we reach the first full week of October, this will signify the last of the
California stone fruit season as growers wind down their last picks. Growers have
finished harvesting yellow peach and yellow nectarines, with only a few growers in
micro-climates still harvesting late season peaches in minimal numbers. White fruit will
clean up this week as growers look to finish off the last of their inventories. The plum
market will look to carry through the month of October thanks to oversupply and
minimal demand on the late season crop.
Growers will continue to harvest good
volume of Crimson seedless red grapes as they
race to beat any October rains. Specialty
varieties of red seedless like Vintage and
Scarlett Royal will remain on inventories, with
harvest being finished for the season. The
green grape crop will roll along steadily as
growers have finished harvesting the last of
their Thompson crop. Shippers are expected
to break into their 16 lb. storage green grapes
by the end of the week. Red Globe availability will remain consistent all the way
through the end of October in good volume and Autumn Royal black seedless will
continue to pick up steam as more growers continue harvesting through the last couple
weeks of the month.
CA STONE FRUIT
PEACHES
Peach growers in the Central Valley finished harvesting the last of their
Autumn Flame crop last week. Supplies are winding down quickly as most shippers
look to be finished by the end of the week. A few
specialty varieties like Last Tango in the Central Valley
and late season peaches in Tehachapi, CA will prolong
availability through the middle of the month, but in very
minimal supplies. Volume fill sizes will remain very
limited for the remainder of the season thanks to the
fruit large size. FOB prices will continue to increase
steadily due to the lack of supplies available. The last of
the September Snow white peach will clean up on
inventories this week, with only limited tray packs
remaining to ship. Overall, the 2010 season was a battle
for the CA peach farmer as he fought heavy supplies of
local peaches on the East Coast. Demand is expected to increase as growers start
limiting unnecessary production by digging out orchards.
NECTARINES
The last of the white and yellow nectarine crops were harvested last week and
shippers will continue to clean up inventories as quickly as possible. Due to heavy
volume of August Fire and September Bright yellow nectarines, good supplies of tray
and volume fill nectarines have remained on inventory. The commodity is expected to
slowly start cleaning up the glut of supplies and start to see a glimmer of hope by the
end of the week. Yellow nectarine supplies are expected to last through mid-October,
but slowly start to wind down by the end of the week due to shippers only working off
of inventory. Arctic Mist white nectarines will carry through the end of the week and
then supplies will become non-existent. White nectarines remain available in a much
more limited amount than its yellow counterpart.
PLUMS
Black plum availability will remain considerably higher than expected for an
average season and this will carry through most of October. Increased volume on
varieties leading up to the Angelino harvest has created a glut of supplies in late
September compared to an average season. This has helped to fill the natural gap that
always occurs between these varieties and will help keep FOB prices at a reasonable
level. Expect FOB prices to slowly increase as October progresses. Good supplies of
black plum are expected to carry all the way through the third week of the month and
then slowly start to tapper off.
Growers will continue to harvest their Holiday and September Yummy
varieties of red plums. Expect FOB prices for red plums to remain just slightly higher
than their black counterpart due to limited volume on the horizon. Supplies will remain
available leading into late October, but are expected to finish earlier than the late season
Angelino crop. Quality will be very strong on what remains of the crop. This will be a
good week to promote both colors of plums before the end of the season. Now is a
good time to push plum ads!
POMEGRANATES
As more growers start to harvest their
pomegranate crop, availability will become more readily
available and FOB prices will continue to decline.
Supplies of pomegranates have become more readily
available thanks to increased acreage coming into
production. Size was a struggle at the onset, but more
36 size tray packs are starting to be harvested. Early
Wonderful variety is expected to start by mid-week
and the heaviest volume of the season is not expected
until mid-October once the Wonderful harvest gets going. Quality and crop volume is
expected to be fantastic this season with an increased demand at the consumer level as
more people become proponents of the pomo’s antioxidant power.
CENTRAL VALLEY GRAPES
We will see another week of good Crimson red seedless volume as growers
continue to harvest fresh. Vines have been covered as growers prepare for any early
October rains on the crop. Vintage Red and Scarlet Royale will continue to be
harvested / shipped in small numbers as we reach their last week of promotions. FOB
prices will remain consistent until the end of the week and the market is expected to
slowly increase on quality fruit. Growers will harvest fresh into 19 lb. cartons as well as
stash fruit away in pick totes for late later house pack use in November. With good
volume still hanging on some vines, Mother Nature will hold the crops fate through the
month of October. Good supplies are expected to carry through December as long as
there are no major weather issues.
This week will signal the transition for the green grape crop. Growers have
finished harvesting the last of their Thompson and will look to clean up their 19 lb.
inventory by the end of the week. Most grower / shippers will start shipping the firs tof
their 16 lb. storage crop nectar week. Expect FOB prices on green grapes to remain
lower than the red, at least for the time being, as volume is more prevalent. Once
shippers break into their storage Thompson crop, expect FOB prices to increase and
reach an equilibrium point. Less 16 lb. Thompsons have been harvested this season
compared to years past due to the increased volume of the Autumn King and Luisco
crops. Autumn King will begin harvest in better numbers this week, as a good
Thompson alternative. The grapes naturally large size is very impressive and more
acreage is planted every season. The first pick of the Luisco variety is not expected until
the end of the October
The Autumn Royale crop will be in full swing for the next couple weeks,
with good size and color starting to arrive. Growers will slowly transition into volume
on Autumn Royals as we progress through October. FOB prices will remain consistent
as blacks do not see the same kind of demand as their red / green counterparts. The
upcoming Autumn Royal crop looks to be outstanding in size and quality once the
volume starts to arrive from the field. Expect supplies to carry the crop all the way
through mid-November or possibly even December since the season saw a 10 – 14 day
late start.
CHILEAN CITRUS
October will see the last promotable month for Chilean Navels. All fruit
being imported after the marketing order are inspected for quality and sugar levels, and
the fruit has proved to be outstanding. The last arrivals of the season will hit by the end
of the week and shippers will work off of inventory. Supplies are expected to carry into
November, when the CA navel crop begins. Quality will remain outstanding in the time
being as should create a fluid transition in growing regions. Now is your last chance to
promote!