It is officially Spring as of March 19th, and you know the saying…”Spring Showers bring California Strawberries to flower!” Ok so maybe that is not the official rhyme, but it is what I am dreaming of on this cold wet spring day. Strawberries, after all, are the first fruit to ripen in the Spring. California is the nation’s top producer of strawberries. Our warm days and cool nights that attract people to call California home also attract the beautiful strawberry. In fact, 80% of the strawberries are born and raised in Sunny California!
The reason is in large part, our climate. Our weather allows growers in California to have a 12-month growing season, as opposed to other areas in the US that have an average of 5-months. Crazy enough, every state in the US does grow these ruby berries.
Also, our California fields are more productive than in other growing areas. They can yield up to ten times more strawberries, per acre, than strawberries grown in Michigan; twenty times more than berries grown in New York, for example. Some California growers cut from the tip of a growing strawberry stem, say five years ago, and use the “mother” to create daughters, called runners. The plants are multiplied first in controlled environments, such as a greenhouse. Then they are moved to the warmth of the central valley. They are then trucked to the mountains along the California-Oregon border. The cold temperature is important for these young berries. Finally, they are sent back to growers to start producing! All of these steps are to ensure massive production from the plants and protect against disease.
I hate to say, “West is Best” but California does produce an astounding billion pounds of strawberries each year.
Apples & Pears
Westlake has seen record movement on apples out of the Pacific Northwest. The price is being pushed up across the board. As the country tries to restock the shelves at the store level, the growers and shippers are packing around the clock. We are grateful as everyone is working extremely hard to keep up demand.
Melons
Please call us for an update!
Tropicals
Here comes Mango Madness! We have Ataulfo and Tommy mangoes available from our growers in Mexico.
The mango production and demand has slowed down, due to the current U.S. situation. In addition, climate change has caused the growing region of Nayarit to be a month late on production.
The lime market is stronger on sizes 175s/200s while 230s and smaller, the pricing is looser.
Call us for daily updates!
Citrus
Please call us for an update!
Potato & Onion
Please call us for an update!
The weather from February has affected all new harvest areas. Peppers are very short and active, as growing regions are delayed.
Berries
As the rain ceases, we expect a little more production out of Oxnard and Santa Maria. Baja is ramping up with more volume... so call for pricing!
Blackberries have become limited, with pricing going up.
Raspberries out of Mexico are also limited.
Blueberries are more readily available ... There are some late Chilean arrivals still available. However, Mexico is currently producing the majority of blueberries at this time.
ALL BERRIES ARE DAY TO DAY. Call us for more updates and availability!
Specialty Produce
There has been good supply on Ecuadorean white and yellow dragon fruit. We expect its season to wind down in the next few weeks.
Vietnamese white and red dragon fruit pricing continues to be strong due to weather conditions.
Call for daily pricing/and size availability!
Organics
In organic news, the California navel is coming to end sooner than later. However, we have organic Valencia oranges coming shortly. Expect updates on price and availability. The California organic avocado has been limited due to the rain. We expect there to be lots of small fruit available. The rain has also held off an increase in organic lemons. Please prebook during this time. While March Madness has been canceled, we still have “Mango Madness to look forward to! We currently have organic Tommy mangoes available out of Mexico. They are peaking on 9/10ct, so start ordering ahead...volume is coming!
Avocados
Now is the time to add avocados to your ADs! There are plenty of avocados from California and Mexico available. Hass is the way to go, with their smooth buttery taste and texture. The quality and taste are excellent.