Tag: produceiq

We didn’t intend for last week’s headline to become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Let’s agree to blame El Nino, OK?

Winter is making up for lost time. Back-to-back storms Ember and Finn brought wintery weather to most of the United States over the weekend, including ice to lettuce-growing regions in Arizona and more rain for water-logged Florida.

Although the rest of the world is so over 2023, we have a few more observations from the peanut gallery to digest.

We can’t guarantee 2023 will end on a high note, but we can predict it will be an expensive finale for produce buyers.

Heavy rain and cooler weather have plagued growers across the Southeastern US and Mexico for weeks. Produce prices are accelerating as holiday demand swells.

Supply is strong for commodities beginning their winter season in the Western Desert region, and the annual transition from the Salinas Valley, CA, may stick a soft landing (to steal a phrase from the fed) despite El Niño related weather challenges.

The desert is ramping up production, and produce prices are here to tell the story. In line with historical trends for week #48, the ProduceIQ index is down -5 percent over the previous week.

Predictably, post-Thanksgiving green bean prices are falling faster than the snow across the Midwest. Average prices are down -37 percent over the previous week.

This week’s price index is a little misleading. Despite appearances, fresh produce for your Turkey Day menu is a bit more affordable than last year.

Heavy rain is forecasted for the Southeastern U.S. and California this week. This may come as dismal news for growers nearing harvest, but it is a reason to give thanks for off-season growers still fighting the effects of extreme drought.