JUNE 30, 2017 MARKET REPORT

It was HOT!We now have a pretty firm update on how the heat wave last week has affected things.It was HOT.  54C is really hot.  I’ve been at 54C in the Sonora Desert twice – one south of Mexicali, and once near Hermosillo in Sonora.  It is hard to describe, and people actually live in those temperatures, even without AC.  The picture below is apparently a garbage can that melted in Arizona? Temperatures on dashboards were over 200F, allowing people to bake cookies in their cars.However, say goodbye to Mexico’s grape season – ended very early with fruit on the vines literally cooked.  Same story with melons from Yuma, Sonora, Imperial, Huron, Reedley, Brawley and all those other great places they grow melons – temperatures of 48 – 50C for three days have literally melted the melons as well.These temperatures are not unusual.  Not that many records were broken.  But it is certainly not normal to have your hottest days of the year in June – these were early August temperatures.  Farmers don’t grow crops like melons in the middle of summer.  Growing melons, zucchini, cukes, eggplant, field tomatoes in June in those hottest areas isn’t usually a risk because they are done by early July.    With Bakersfield about to open up on melons, and Central Valley grapes in full production, there is plenty of supply, but you can expect to see some price corrections above and beyond normal price movement after July 4^th adjustments.Another couple of items also heat affected include the California early Russet crop, which were also field burned badly, and some onions which baked in the field while curing.Quick Notes:  Mexican New Crop Avocados – limited release arriving early in the week.  Pragor growers have not yet been allowed to cut 2018 crop avocados in their district.  We have new crop coming from another grower in another district from a guy in Montreal whose brother lives down there and knows this guy etc…. sometimes that’s just how it is, and we’ll likely have Fair Trade Pragor fruit in 3 – 4 weeks.Pineapples – we’re back into the Capa Coop Pineapples – usually always arrive in perfect shape.BC Blueberries – a few more days – nearly – it’s nearly here – hope there’s enough people to pick them!Walla Walla Onions – just a heads up this seasonal treat is about to arrive.Enjoy whatever time you get off this Holiday weekend.