The Trade Buzz

CROP UPDATES

STRAWBERRIES

strawberry

Santa Maria

Quality: Fruit quality remains strong, with minor defects like green or crooked tips and bronzing. These issues are not widespread and are expected to resolve with stable weather and consistent harvests.

Volume: Production volumes are increasing steadily for both conventional and organic fall crop blocks.

Pack Counts: Conventional 13-16; Organic spring crop 28-30; Organic fall crop 13-16

Watsonville/Salinas

Quality: Overall fruit quality is strong as the season begins to wane. 

Volume: A gradual decline is anticipated over the next two to three weeks.

Pack Counts: Conventional: 16-18, 20-24; Organic: 22-25;

 

BLUEBERRIES

blueberry

Pacific Northwest

Quality: Quality is good.

Volume: Strong production is anticipated to last throughout the month of August.

RASPBERRIES

raspberry

Mexico

Quality: Overall, fruit quality is fair with occurrences of overripe and soft fruit due to humid weather and rains.

Volume: Production is steadily increasing.

Watsonville

Quality: Quality is fair. 

Volume: Volume is expected to increase significantly in the coming weeks.

BLACKBERRIES

blackberry

Mexico

Quality: Blackberry quality is improving with some soft, leaky berries due to lingering humidity.

Volume: A significant increase in production is projected for early September.

Watsonville

Quality: Quality is good.

Volume: Production is in a transitional phase and is projected to increase in the coming weeks.

Image preview

A berry nice note from a California Giant Berry Farms shopper:

“I just wanted to take a moment to say how much I appreciate the care and quality that goes into every berry you grow. Whether it’s strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries, your fruit is always vibrant, flavorful, and fresh—something that really stands out in today’s market. As someone who values clean, wholesome food, your berries have become a regular staple in my kitchen. It’s also inspiring to see your commitment to sustainability and community. From field to table, it’s clear that you prioritize doing things the right way, and it makes a difference. I love supporting companies that care not just about great products, but about the people and planet too.”

The Trade Buzz

Subscribe to The Buzz trade newsletter and receive weekly emails with the latest berry news.

The Berry Buzz logo

Subscribe the Berry Buzz Blog for the latest berry news, recipes, tips, videos and more!