Market Update For Berries

Week of July 13 – July 19

Santa Maria numbers are dropping daily, with the region settling into the 200,000 to 300,000 flat range and looking to hold there for the next two to three weeks. Watsonville production remains steady with close to 1 million flats per day. Those growers should hang in there and continue to supply most of the industry. We have a mixed market with a very wide range of pricing, between $10.00 to $14.00 FOB, with mixed quality to match. This is the time of year when the plants get tired, and we are seeing bruising and a bit of decay even on the best lots. That should continue until new crop arrives by the second week of August. Promotions are active with major retailers, but there is not a lot of extra business outside of that, and rejections are on the rise as retailers are getting picky with inconsistent quality. Berries will take a back seat in August, with grapes, stone fruit and melons taking front and center retail space.