• NEW!

    • Green Garlic
    • California Avocados

  • Promotable Volume

    • Green Beans for Easter
    • Asparagus
    • Baby Sweet Broccoli

  • COMING SOON

    • Rhubarb April
    • Cherries May
    • Compostable Herb Packaging

  • BACK IN STOCK

    • Romanesco

  • TIGHT INVENTORY

    • Butternut and Kabocha Squash
    • Sunrise Carrots
    • Organicgirl Butter Lettuce

  • GAPPING

    • Mini Seedless Watermelons
    • Napa Cabbage
    • Sunrise Nantes Carrots
    • Celery Root
    • Covilli Delicata
    • Mixed Herbs
    • Tasteful Medley creamer potatoes
    • Bunched Spinach

  • WINDING DOWN

    • SugarBee Club Apples

  • FINISHED

    • Tango Mandarins

BUYER’S NOTES

Updated April 2, 2023

FRUIT

FRUIT update

The Berry market remains volatile with weather. Rain down the coast and into Baja brings challenges on availability and pricing on all berries. Mexican Blackberries, Raspberries and Strawberries will be available for the Easter holiday as well as Forbidden California Blueberries in 12/6oz clamshells. Stay tuned for updates with our daily price list emails.

California Avocado season has started. The cycle of maturation, no matter where avocados are grown in the world, means the early crop can have irregular ripening, rubbery texture, low oil and very little flavor. We will have a small quantity of California Hass available now but if you are picking for flavor, we recommend the Mexican Hass Avocado.

 

Fair Trade Bananas Year-Round

Apples

Cosmic Crisp, Jazz and Envy Club Apple will have good supply for a little longer.  California Cuyama Pink Lady bags and Fuji Apples steady. Honeycrisp sizing up bigger with less volume. Look for 40# cases to turn into 27#. Import apples in about 4 weeks with Gala and Fuji Apples out of South America.

Avocados

At the end of the Equal Exchange Mexican crop. California slowly starting up with more consistent supply and sizing in 2 weeks. California fruit at the beginning of the season will be immature with a lower oil content than Mexican fruit at the end of their season. Eat Mexican Avocados sooner and with a slight give.

Bananas

Transition period for Ecuador as they are going into winter. Mexico will transition to a stronger season with increased production as summer starts up in a few months.

 

California Forbidden Blueberries

Berries 

California Blueberries are coloring up slowly with the cooler weather. No pints available. Forbidden back with 12/6oz clamshells. San Joaquin Valley fruit will come on fast when we get some consistent sunshine- end of April/beginning of May.

Raspberries and Blackberries tightened up due to the cold. Mexico will have a steady supply when it heats up.

Baja will carry us through May on Strawberries. We may see some California fruit come on in early May.

Citrus

Transitioning to a winter bloom with various sizing on Citrus. 

California Lemons transitioning from California to Mexico in the summer.

Limes will be even tighter as we get into April. 

Cara Caras winding down with seasonally appropriate flavor for another week or two. 

Lots of Navels falling off the tree with the windy rainy weather. Crop should make it through April with a transition into California Valencias from winter fruit out of Mexico. 

Mandarins: Tangos are done. Murcotts available for another few weeks.

 

Abate Fetel

grapes

Import Grapes could be finished. More updates coming this week.

kiwi

All storage crop. Bulk out of Italy/Greece and bags from California. New Zealand starting in May.

Melons

Mini Seedless Watermelons pushed another week.

pears

Golden Bosc and A’njou domestic volume is becoming scarce with limited sizing. Red D’Anjou sliding out. Bartlett, Red Bartlett and Abate Fetel Import Pears have great flavor.

tropicals

Covilli Pineapples are back. Crespo Mangos will ramp up in production in another week or so. Tommy Atkins will be tight until then and maybe a gap. Coconuts tight for a few weeks until the next shipment.

VEGETABLES

veg update

Easter is only a week away and it’s time to get excited about spring! California Coastal View Produce Asparagus is starting to ramp up, weather dependent. There is activity in the field, but the cold and wet weather continues. Aggressive pricing and promotional opportunities abound on Mexican Asparagus for Easter. 

Comanche Creek has gorgeous green garlic. Learn more under our Vegucation blog. Tutti Frutti volume is picking up with Snap Peas, English Peas, Cauliflower and Flat Parsley. Green Beans will be in good supply through Easter. 

The Spring Transition back up to the Salinas/Watsonville area has been delayed due to rainy and cold weather. The Salinas/Watsonville region has received over 17 inches of rain this year. In comparison it was 1.5 inches last year at this time. The unexpected amount of rain lead to the Pajaro River’s levee breaching, leaving the town of Pajaro flooded including almost 200 acres of Lakeside and other growers’ crops. The ability to enter the fields to plant spring crops has been few and far between. We will see shortages and gaps into April and May. Learn more here.

We are continuing to keep an eye out for aphids in all growing regions. If you missed our Aphid blog last week you can read it here.

Remember … Easter is Sunday, April 9!

Covilli Green Beans Earl’s Exclusive

 

Asparagus

California Coastal View Produce is starting to ramp up, weather dependent. There is activity in the field, but cold and wet weather continues. Aggressive pricing and promotional opportunities abound on Mexican Asparagus for Easter.

Artichokes

Very tight through mid-April. 12ct gapping for a few weeks from Ocean Mist as they transition out of the desert.

bunched and loose beets

Pacific Northwest is done. California is having issues getting into the wet fields.  Will see some beets from Cal-O.

baby bok choy

Back in stock with small sizing from Lakeside.

green beans

 In excellent supply for Easter.

Coastal View Produce California Asparagus

 

Broccoli

Josie’s will have a small gap as they transition out of the desert back up to Salinas. Expect some disruptions.

sweet baby broccoli

Much better supplies from Braga out of the desert and Salinas.

brussels sprouts

Plenty for Easter. Purple Brussels gapping for now.

cabbage

Napa gapping for a few weeks until Watsonville/Salinas Area starts up.

Carrots

Sunrise gapping for 2 weeks on Nantes Carrots due to a few weeks of really wet weather.

cauliflower

Aggressive pricing on larger sizes. Don’t miss Earl’s Weekly Special on 12ct.

Tutti Frutti Snap Peas

 

romanesco

Supply and sizing inconsistent.

celery

Stable.

cucumbers

Slicers prices are coming down. Euros and Persians looking good.

eggplant

Globe Eggplant in good supply.

garlic

Pristine larger size and great quality out of Argentina. California is ending.

 
 

ginger

Now coming out of Peru.

greens

Moving into the Watsonville/Salinas deal with Sun Valley and Tomatero with Chards and Kales.

herbs

Mixed Herbs gapping for another 1-2 weeks until the weather warms up in Mexico.

lettuce

Tightening up significantly. Everything done in the desert due to aphids. Sunrise will have some little gems. Romaine will be very tight.

leeks

Ralph’s through April.

 

onions

All storage crop for now. Smooth transition to El Centro in the next couple of weeks.

peas

It’s springtime! Tutti Frutti California Snap Peas in good volume through mid-June. Ask us about promotional opportunities. We will also see some English Peas as they become available.

bell peppers

Divine Colored Bells (Mexico) will wrap up around the middle of April. Green Bells continue to have high pricing.

hot peppers

Cherry Bombs are sporadic. 
Jalapeños tight from the cold weather. Shishito and Padrons are limited. Good supply on Anaheims, Poblanos and Serranos.

potatoes

Last shipment of Golds out of the Pacific Northwest next week.  

Russet prices are skyrocketing as the storage crop gets tighter and new crop won’t start until June. Good supply on Russet Bales. We may see a gap on Russets for a few weeks before the new crop starts up.

 

summer squash

Divine Flavor Zucchini in good supply. Bringing in Covilli when available.

tomatoes

Mixed Heirloom supply is looking good! #2 Heirlooms have minor cat facing at a great price. Purple Rose Heirlooms available here and there.

tomatillos

Bringing in what we can.

winter squash

Butternut and Kabocha are tight.

FOLLOW THE FLAVOR @EARLSORGANIC ON INSTAGRAM

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