Quality: Conventional fruit quality has been good, but inconsistent, with some overripe and decayed fruit, particularly due to stretched labor and varying conditions across ranches. Organic crops are rebounding from prior heat stress, showing better consistency in quality.
Volume: Production is gradually decreasing as many ranches enter post-peak stages, though some later-planted fields maintain peak output.
Pack Counts: Conventional fall crop 18-22. Organic fall crop, 22-24.
Quality: Conventional and organic quality is good with nice sheen, small-to-medium size, strong red color, and good flavor.
Volume: Production continues to decline steadily and quickly. Overall production is forecasted to cease near the beginning of November.
Pack Counts: Conventional 24-26; Organic 30-34 depending on ranch.
Region Update: Production has been pushed back around 3 weeks due to Hurricane Milton. Stay tuned for more updates soon.
California Giant has entered a significant gap in our blueberry supply between domestic and imported crops. The Pacific Northwest has wrapped up fresh production and we are currently being supported by limited supplies from Peru, Chile, and Mexico.
This is an industry-wide shortage. Our current forecasts are showing our supplies bottoming out in mid-to-late October before we see volume start to increase and finally re-align around the middle of November. Be prepared for very limited supplies for the month of October with continually increasing and active markets.
Quality: Overall, fruit is looking good with a strong red color, new varieties sizes and firmness look good.
Volume: Volume for raspberries is staying steady as we enter October.
Quality: Overall, color is a nice dark red color due to the warm temperatures underneath the hoops and sizing of rasps are a good medium size on average.
Volume: Watsonville Raspberries’ production is picking back up.
Quality: Quality is fair.
Volume: Volume for blackberries is picking back as we enter October and have good, steady volume for the rest of the year.
Quality: Quality is fair. Attached calyx and red cell regression is a continual occurrence and are seeing some issues of smaller fruit.
Volume: Overall production volume has taken a steep cut as we enter a low of the season.
October 8 – 10th
Seattle, WA
“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.”