Category: What’s happening in Produce

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN PRODUCE: 

Clocks have turned back and spring is in the air! We are all looking forward to the extra hour of daylight and some warmer weather – especially the greenhouses. We are expecting to see some better prices by the end of the month on our local greenhouse-grown items such as English cucumbers, beefsteak tomatoes, tomatoes on the vine, grape tomatoes and medley cherry tomatoes. A combination of warmer weather and lower demand has helped to somewhat ease prices on tomatoes – plum tomatoes specifically.                                                                                          

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS WEEK:  

Asparagus is really cheap! Take full advantage now because prices on other veg options are running a bit higher as with cauliflower, peppers, and zucchini. Prices on blueberries continue to be the highest in the berry dept. so use more blackberries and raspberries. Watermelons are in short supply and prices are higher – use cantaloupes and honeydews.                                                                 

YOUR BEST BUYS:  

Asparagus, beets (all colors), broccoli crowns, carrots (all colors), sweet corn, we have a 15lb box of choice red peppers that are a great value, grape tomatoes, plum tomatoes, snow peas, and sugar snap peas. In the fruit section use blackberries, cantaloupes, figs, clementines, honeydews, mangos and oranges (blood oranges are still around too!).

WHAT’S HAPPENING
IN PRODUCE:

There is a mixed bag of events that are affecting pricing and availability. Old crop product
such as with cabbage and Spanish onions are finishing and prices on the new crops are
significantly higher. Weather is the main factor in the rising prices in the lettuce
category. California growing areas has been battling a heatwave and this has impacted yields
so the supply is lower and you know the rest. Hot temperatures are not a friend to
strawberries and prices are higher as a result. Keep in mind that shelflife.
 shortened on items coming out of hot areas. It is difficult to cool them properly
with so much heat and the process takes a few days off the normal shelf life.

WHAT YOU NEED
TO KNOW THIS WEEK:

The California fruit season is in full swing. Take advantage of the fantastic quality
of apricots, cherries, nectarines, peaches, and plums. Prices on Brussel sprouts are
finally coming down – they are still expensive but not nearly as outrageously expensive
as they have been lately. We have a PRICE ALERT – All lettuce items are much more
expensive. Celery, rapini, red peppers, snow peas, sugar snaps and yams are all higher.

YOUR BEST BUYS: 

Broccoli crowns are cheaper than the bunched broccoli, corn, English cucumbers,
cluster tomatoes (on the vine), grape cherry tomatoes are cheaper than the round
cherry tomatoes, medley cherry tomatoes, and green zucchini. In the fruit section
In the fruit section use clementines, figs, kiwi fruit, honeydews, mangos, nectarines,
peaches, pineapples, pomegranates, raspberries, and watermelons.

ONTARIO GROWN!  NOW AVAILABLE!

Asparagus – get it while it lasts!
Collard greens
Dandelion greens
Green and yellow beans
Kale – black, red and green
Zucchini
GREENHOUSE GROWN
English cucumbers – mini ones cucumbers too!
11lb red and yellow peppers
Tomatoes – cluster, hothouse, cherry, grape,
heirloom and heirloom cherry       

WHAT’S HAPPENING  : The Ontario greenhouses have started up again. This is a big reason for the very low

        IN PRODUCE             prices on english cucumbers lately. Next up are peppers and tomatoes and you will

                                              notice the cheaper price on the locally grown greenhouse varieties.  Peppers prices

                                              haven’t fallen off so quickly because the field grown varieties are still expensive. The

                                              prices on broccoli, cauliflower and iceberg lettuce are all more expensive this week.

                                              Celery prices are completely out of control and are at the highest ever seen. The reason

                                              for most of these high prices is the weather. The growers have all struggled through

                                              more rain and wind than usual coupled with lower temperatures. The desert regions

                                              are now approaching the end of their season and the transition to the northern region

                                               of California. This switch will bring on a new set of issues for growers.. and us as well.

          WHAT YOU           :  Use celery sparingly. For recipes use celery root where possible as it is much cheaper.

        NEED TO KNOW       Prices on iceberg lettuce have jumped higher so use more romaine and romaine hearts.

          THIS WEEK              Prices on onions are higher as local supplies are finished and the imports from the USA

                                               have a much higher landed cost. Cooking, red and spanish onions have all been affected.

                                               Strawberry prices are higher because the Florida season has come to an end. California

                                               grown strawberries are great quality – just a bit more expensive than we’ve seen lately.      

               YOUR                 :   Asparagus, bunched broccoli is cheaper than broccoli crowns, butternut squash is the

         BEST BUYS                 cheapest option in hard winter squash, corn, plum tomatoes are the best value in the

                                                tomato section for 25lbboxes, grape tomatoes and green zucchini. If you need a larger

                                                size green zucchini for grilling buy the 40lb crate zucchini. They are always large and

                                                much cheaper than the medium or fancy size 20lb cases.  In fruit use blackberries,

                                                cantaloupes, clementines, figs, kiwi, lemons, oranges, pineapples and strawberries.

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.

Continue reading Berry Exciting News

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.

Continue reading It’s all about Florida

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!