Agronometrics Blog

Overview of the limes in the U.S. market, complemented by charts from Agronometrics.


Original published in FreshPlaza.comon August 13, 2020

“There are ample supplies at the moment and supplies are steady,” says Steven Leal with S&J Distributing in Edinburg, TX, who notes that limes are largely coming from Mexico. He adds that there’s slightly more fruit this year than last year at this time. “This past week caught a lot of us off guard because there was more fruit than normal for this time of year,” says Leal. “The entire summer we’re just seeing numbers that are high.”

However there are challenges with supplies from Mexico right now. “We’re in the time of year where it’s peak season with volume but it’s also peak with problems with the fruit,” says Leal. “There are multiple issues. There’s persistent heat hitting these trees for a few months now. The fruit will show up a little lighter and the shelf life is at its minimum too. A lot of fruit is changing rapidly and maturing rapi…

Overview of the Washington apple season, complemented by charts from Agronometrics.



Original published in The Register-Guardon August 11, 2020

SPOKANE — This year’s Washington state apple crop is expected to be slightly larger than the 2019 crop.

Volume (in LB) of apples from Washington in the US market

Source: USDA Market News via Agronometrics.
(Agronometrics users can view this chart with live updates here)
The Washington State Tree Fruit Association estimates the 2020 crop will total 134 million standard forty-pound boxes of fresh apples. That’s just above 2019′s total of 133.9 million boxes.

Harvest is just getting underway in the nation’s top apple producing state, and will continue into November.

Origins of American apples sold in the US market

Source: USDA Market News via Agronometrics.
(Agronometrics users can view this chart with live updates here)
For the second straight year, Gala will be the most numerous variety at 23%. Red Delicious is projected at 17%, followed by Fuji at…

If you don't look carefully you might miss it. In the top right corner of the chart below there are three light blue dots that are so far above the rest of the prices that they might go unnoticed.

These are Stark Crimson pears, a red variety characterized as aromatic, juicy, and sweet with a floral essence.

Pear Prices (USD/Kilo) | Non-Organic


Source: USDA Market News via Agronometrics.
(Agronometrics users can view this chart with live updates here)
High prices for Stark Crimson aren’t unusual. But this year the prices are even greater than last year, which already had the highest prices for this variety since 2010.

Historic Stark Crimson Pear Prices (USD/Kilo) | Non-Organic


Source: USDA Market News via Agronometrics.
(Agronometrics users can view this chart with live updates here)
With prices reporting out of California, it is interesting to tie a relationship between the prices being reported and the volumes for this variety. 2019 and 2020 both were late starting seasons which…

Overview of the avocados from Mexico in the U.S. market, complemented by charts from Agronometrics.



Original published in ThePacker.com on August 07, 2020

Although U.S. avocado volume from Mexico had dropped to about 25 million pounds per week at times during the summer, Bob Lucy, partner at Del Rey Avocado Co. Inc., says movement may increase to nearly 40 million pounds by the end of September. ( Courtesy Del Rey Avocado Co. Inc )

Avocado volume from Mexico has been similar to last year, and shipments will continue to increase over the next several weeks, grower-shippers say.

The country’s flora loca crop started around mid-July, said Bob Lucy, partner at Del Rey Avocado Co. Inc., Fallbrook, Calif.

“They’re going really slow,” he said in late July, with a limited number of trucks coming into the U.S.

Volume had dropped to 600 truckloads — about 25 million pounds — per week for a few weeks, he said, but he expected movement to increase to about 30 million pounds per week or more …

Overview of the blueberries and raspberries supply, complemented by charts from Agronometrics.
Original published in ThePacker.com on July 28, 2020

Ample supplies of good-quality blueberries still are available from U.S. growers, and raspberries and blackberries are in good supply as well.

Growers in Oregon were able to squeeze a couple more weeks out of their blueberry crops than usual this summer, said Luciano Fiszman, blueberry category manager for Los Angeles-based Gourmet Trading Co.

Volumes (in LB) of blueberries from Oregon in the US market
Source: USDA Market News via Agronometrics.
(Agronometrics users can view this chart with live updates here)
The blueberry harvest typically transitions from Oregon to British Columbia around the Fourth of July, he said.

Last year, the move actually occurred about 10 days before then.

Inclement weather this season, both during the pollination period and later during the growing phase, delayed the start of the British Columbia harvest.

Pick…

Overview of the California grape season, complemented by charts from Agronometrics.



Original published in ThePacker.com on August 04, 2020

The California Table Grape Commission, Fresno, has dropped its production forecast for the season slightly.

The commission said the 2020 table grape crop is 104.9 19-pound boxes, down from the April estimate of 106.5 million boxes. The 2019 season’s final harvest was 104.99 million 19-pound boxes, according to a news release from the California Table Grape Commission.

“Estimating the crop is a detailed process that is formally undertaken three times a year and involves volume projections based on growing districts,” Kathleen Nave, president of the commission, said in the release. “The significant amount of vineyard removal in 2019 appears to have been offset by new vineyards coming into production in 2020.”

The commission said the season is in “full swing” and demand has been “strong and steady.”

Volumes (in LB) of grapes in the US market dur…