A combination of light demand and a steady pace of recovery has helped to push prices lower this week. California and Mexico have been able to catch up and you’ll see cheaper prices on broccoli, cauliflower, romaine and zucchini to name a few. Unfortunately the crops in Florida haven’t been so lucky. Florida had experienced an unprecedented amount of rain and below average temperatures this winter. The result is higher prices on their crops such as beans, eggplant, tomatoes, and peppers.
It’s all about Florida
Fantastic quality and cheap prices on everything coming out of Florida! We are seeing strawberry prices fall, green pepper and tomato prices remain cheap and reasonably priced citrus with the new crop juicing oranges and grapefruit. In other areas such as California we are seeing steady pricing on leafy vegetables but some high prices on asparagus, cauliflower and rapini due to weather and changes in the growing areas. The South American fruit season is coming along and grape prices are beginning to soften.
Spring Harvest
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN PRODUCE
This week we experienced some temperatures that were colder than usual for this time of year. Luckily it didn’t get cold enough to do any major damage to our local crops. We are hoping that that sort of thing is done so we can look forward to a healthy crop of locally grown produce to relieve us of the pricing nightmare that is occurring in drought stricken California. We are seeing prices on broccoli, cauliflower, celery, leaf lettuce, snow peas, sugar snap peas and swiss chard that are higher than ever. Citrus fruit is also extremely expensive with the exception of limes. Grapefruit, lemons and oranges are typically more expensive at this time of year but this year the prices are exponentially high. The latest reports are that there will be no recovery from this drought situation this summer. The winter was way too warm in California and they had record low snowfalls in the mountain regions. Apparently that snowfall is imperative to their water situation and it is impossible to recover quickly. Maybe this will motivate someone to figure out how to make use of the gigantic ocean that they have along their western border – I suppose to desalinate ocean water is more difficult than it appear.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS WEEK
Iceberg and romaine remain the cheapest options in lettuce – that is if you don’t count the prewashed and chopped product because that is by far the most reasonably priced. All tomatoes are cheap and especially our local hothouse grown varieties including both grape and cherry tomatoes. Strawberries are a fantastic bargain right now and the quality is excellent. They are large size, have great red colour and are very sweet so take advantage of them with blackberries as well which are the next best value in berries.
YOUR BEST BUYS
Asparagus, english cucumbers, radicchio, 11lb boxes of both red and yellow peppers, all tomatoes, 20lb cases of pre-washed and chopped iceberg lettuce, both green and yellow zucchini. In the fruit section use blackberries, strawberries, both golden and red delicious apples, kiwi, mangos, pineapples and watermelons.
TRIVIA : The first lucky participant to call Rich at our office ext. #106 with the correct answer will win a
“FREE NIGHT AT THE MOVIES” to enjoy with a friend. You can also fax or email your guess.
The large green varieties of this popular tree fruit are known as “Persian” or “Tahiti”. They are most often seen wedged onto the side of your drinking glass. Just be the first person to identify it to win!
Pick of the Crop Rainy Day Edition
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN PRODUCE
April 19 – April 25
Prices are way up on a few items such as asparagus, all varieties of lettuce
and cauliflower. The blame is being put on lighter supplies across the board.
Large 50lb bags of carrots are also up in price because the supply out of the
storage facilities is running low. It’s not all bad news as the Ontario grown
green house product such as english cucumbers, 11lb boxes of red and yellow
peppers, flats of cluster tomatoes and hothouse tomatoes are all excellent quality
and prices are cheap. This should continue throughout the spring season.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS WEEK
Asparagus prices are crazy expensive so unless the Queen is coming for dinner
its best to use another green vegetable such as zucchini, broccolini or brussel
sprouts. Prices on all lettuce are up but it’s the green and red leaf lettuce that has
been impacted the most. Cauliflower is also too expensive to use if you don’t absolutely
need it so take advantage of the broccoli crown price. They are a much better value
and they are cheaper than the bunched broccoli as well and you get 100% yield!
Raspberries continue to be expensive so use more black- blue and strawberries.
YOUR BEST BUYS
Broccoli crowns, english cucumbers, radicchio, 11lb boxes of both red and yellow
peppers, snow peas are cheaper than sugar snap peas, cluster and hothouse tomatoes,
green and yellow zucchini. In the fruit section use blackberries, golden and red
delicious apples, kiwi fruit, mangos, golden pineapples and watermelons.
TRIVIA :
The first lucky participant to call Rich at our office ext. #106 with the correct answer will win a
“FREE NIGHT AT THE MOVIES” to enjoy with a friend. You can also fax or email your guess.
Third century Romans believed that the this popular fruit was an antidote
for all poisons. It is believed that this fruit’s origin is in Southeast Asia and
that the Chinese Emperors enjoyed a juice made from this tree fruit. Just be
the first to identify it to win!
Pick of the Crop Spring Edition
The new growing areas for leaf lettuce, romaine and romaine hearts are not in full
production yet and the result is a limited supply and higher prices. However iceberg
seems to be ahead of the curve and prices are a bit lower this week. We are seeing a
slow recoveries in the cauliflower and broccoli fields and prices have started to fall.
Rainy weather in Central Mexico has really made it difficult for the lime harvest and
prices have really sky rocketed on all sizes of limes. The rain has also put a damper on the watermelon harvest so you will see higher prices onall watermelons.
Romaine hearts remain cheaper then whole heads of romaine. Broccoli crowns remain
slightly cheaper than regular bunched broccoli, grape tomatoes are cheaper than the
round cherry tomatoes and green zucchini is much cheaper than yellow zucchini.
Limes, raspberries and watermelon prices are all higher this week.
YOUR BEST BUYS:
Beets (all colours), broccoli crowns, cabbage, cooking onions, snow peas,22lb boxes
red peppers, romaine hearts, grape tomatoes and rutabagas. In fruit use blackberries, strawberries, clementines and green seedless grapes are fantastic quality, red delicious
apples, golden delicious apples, kiwi, mangos and pineapples.
TRIVIA: The first lucky participant to call Rich at our office ext. #106 with the correct answer will win a “FREE NIGHT AT THE MOVIES” to enjoy with a friend. You can also fax or email your guess.
According to latest surveys on chocolate Easter bunnies which part of the bunny do 76% of people eat first? Just be the first to answer correctly to win!