Category: Analysis

Over the weekend Donald Trump imposed tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China in his war on illegal immigration and drug trafficking. All three countries have responded that they are preparing similar tariffs on U.S. goods.

After weeks of high winds and devastating wildfires, Southern California saw much-needed rain over the weekend. The rain provided relief and aided firefighting efforts in residential and agricultural areas but left Californians at risk for flooding and mudslides.

The cold front that reached deep into Florida last week did slow the production of a few commodities such as cucumbers and squash but did little to stop plummeting tomato prices.

Post-holiday demand hangover and stable supply send the ProduceIQ Index plummeting. Average prices are down -9 percent over the previous week and typically continue a downward trend into mid-February.

Blue Book, naturally, focuses on fresh produce trends, and they often find their way into legacy media trend coverage, as is the case for the New York Times, which released "How Will We Eat in 2025? 9 Predictions to Chew On."

The ProduceIQ Index finishes the year showcasing a continued yet flattening rate of inflation. The produce industry appears to reflect the broader economy by continuing to have slightly higher prices for another year.

We dedicate this Christmas week newsletter to members of the produce supply chain who keep things moving even during the holiday week.

In this Christmas edition, Pamela and Greg examine indoor farm Plenty leaving Compton, CA, for greener (strawberry) operations in Virginia; Canada's food cost outlook in 2025 looks like higher prices for consumer; and Grubhub is paying a hefty fine for "junk fees."

We are a little over a week from Christmas celebrations, and produce markets are ripe with the anticipation of strong holiday demand. But before we can get to Christmas and all things merry and bright, an astronomical event is just around the corner.

When CEO Rodney McMullen said Kroger would be fine without approval of its merger with Albertsons, I asked “But how does Albertsons feel about that?”