The Trade Buzz

CROP UPDATES

STRAWBERRIES

strawberry

Santa Maria

Quality: Organic quality is fair with overripe and small-sized fruit. 

Volume: Organic volumes will be steady for the next few weeks. Conventional production has finished for the season and is anticipated to restart in mid-August. 

Pack Counts: Organic 28-36, depending on ranch. 

Watsonville/Salinas

Quality: Quality is good with some occurrences of dark, small fruit. 

Volume: Production is steady and anticipated to incrementally increase in the coming weeks.

Pack Counts: Conventional 16-22; Organic 26-30, depending on ranch. 

BLUEBERRIES

blueberry

Mexico

Quality: Quality is good. 

Volume: Production is decreasing as the season finishes.

Pacific Northwest

Quality: This region has experienced prolonged extreme heat in the high 90’s and low 100’s. The teams are being diligent in sorting fruit quality. Overall quality is good.

Volume: Production is steady. 

RASPBERRIES

raspberry

Mexico

Quality: Quality is fair. Rain is causing high humidity and increasing mold occurrence. Growers are doing their best to keep packs clean.  

Volume: Volumes for raspberries has passed their peak and will steadily decline throughout August.

Watsonville

Quality: Quality is good. 

Volume: Volumes are decreasing. 

BLACKBERRIES

blackberry

Mexico

Quality: Quality is good. High humidity is causing some soft fruit and pest pressure. 

Volume: Volumes are steady.

Watsonville

Quality: Quality is good, with nice color and size. Minor occurrences of attached calyx. 

Volume: Volumes are increasing week over week. 

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

“I’ve never written to a producer of any food, but I am compelled to let you know that your strawberries are consistently the best we’ve ever had. We’ve eaten so many that I’m surprised we haven’t grown stems. Thank you for making us believe again that fruit can be grown, packaged, and shipped and remain delicious.”

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