fruit mARKET update

Cool and cloudy weather persists, and summer is behind. The much colder than usual California weather this spring has slowed down the growth of the plants and delaying the harvest. As is the case with every other California fruit crop this year, Organic Melon production is a bit behind schedule because of heavy rains during the planting season and below-average spring temperatures. More in the OPN Melon article below.

Lemons are historically tight through June until Mexico starts up in July. Wrapping up Mexican Grapes as we head into California fruit. Anthony is the first to start up out of Coachella with Red Seedless Flame Grapes and Green Seedless Sugarone. California Blueberries have not been sugaring up to expectation at this time of year. A little bit of heat will bring on the flavor and volume. The Pacific Northwest will be starting soon with Blueberries. Tomatero Strawberries have great flavor and will be in good volume for the summer. Sun Valley Raspberry fields were lost during the floods this winter and they had to pull out all their raspberry canes. They are looking to replant in another field but it will take time for those plants to fruit. We can look forward to delicious Sun Valley Strawberries.

Stone Fruit just keeps getting better and better. Earl’s Exclusive, Burkart, out of Dinuba is harvesting sweet and juicy White Ivory Princess Peaches and Diamond Brite Yellow Nectarines. The flavor and quality is impeccable with high sugar! Download a POS card to highlight your display. New varieties of Peaches, Nectarines, Apricots, Cherries and Plums arriving weekly from Homegrown, D.E. Boldt and Frog Hollow. Dwelley Blenheims return this week. California Cherries are slowing down as the Pacific Northwest starts up with Chelan Cherries this week. Apricots are done out of the Central Valley. It was a really light season for Apricots and Plums as they were hit with some frost and low pollination from the cold season. Brentwood was less affected by those factors and in fact had a bit of a bumper crop. Frog Hollow has beautiful Apricots in clamshells and VF pack sizes. Good supply on Apricots out of Brentwood for the next few weeks. Cherry Plums arriving the first week of July in 1# clamshells. Look for weekly varieties under Stone Fruit in our full buyer’s notes and download Earl’s Stone Fruit calendars to follow the flavor. The first land of California Breba Crop Black Mission Figs Monday. Read more under Earl’s Breba Crop vegucation.

Mango Mania is here! Now is the time to get excited, build displays and promote mangos! Mango Mania is at the height of consumer demand, better known as SUMMERTIME! Participate in the display contest for a chance to win a trip to Mexico to visit Crespo Orchards and packing sheds. Ask us for a marketing packet and download educational posters, recipes and more.

California Organic Melons Facing Delays

OPN CONNECT NEWSLETTER 323 · JUNE 8, 2023

As is the case with every other California fruit crop this year, Organic Melon production is a bit behind schedule because of heavy rains during the planting season and below-average spring temperatures.

“We are running about a week to 10 days late,” said Joe L. Del Bosque, CEO of Del Bosque Farms in Firebaugh, California. “We typically would start around June 25 to July 27. This year, we hope to start shipping around the 4th of July. I don’t think we will have promotable volume until late July and throughout August.”

The much colder than usual California weather this spring has slowed down the growth of the plants and fruit, delaying the harvest, Del Bosque said this week. “Typically, from planting to harvest takes 70-75 days. Our early plantings look like they will take about 80 days.”

Planting starts in early April and continues through June, with production typically expected from late June into October. “We are not exactly sure what’s going to happen this year,” he said, adding that organic melon production is less predictable than conventional. “When it gets hot, these later fields will produce fruit quicker, and we could have a bunching up effect.”

Jackie Grindle, who handles the buying of organic melons for Earl’s Organic Produce on the San Francisco Wholesale Produce Market, said it has been difficult to ascertain when the category will have decent supplies. She concurred that cold weather has led to a later start for producers throughout California and Arizona.

“It has been an interesting melon season,” she said on June 6. “Mexico is finishing up, and the Yuma deal started last week.”

She noted that California’s Coachella Valley also has organic melon acreage, but it’s a very short deal, only lasting a couple of weeks before production moves up to Kern County and the Southern San Joaquin Valley.

“It doesn’t look like we will have organic minis for the 4th of July, but our suppliers are telling us we should have large-size organic watermelons as well as organic cantaloupes and honeydews,” Grindle said. “We should not see a gap on those items.”

The current production of Organic Cantaloupes and Honeydews is producing large fruit. “I typically like 12 counts on cantaloupes, but we are seeing a lot of 9s. And on honeydews, most of them have been 5-6 count,” she said.