Freshspective

Continued offshore supply for the next two weeks out of Guatemala and Honduras. Quality remains good. Domestic production out of Yuma and the Imperial Valley is early this year due to warm temperatures earlier in the growing season with most growers projecting to start in 1-2 weeks. 

Oranges

• California Navels: Crop is heavy on large fruit, with supplies peaking on 56/72/48 counts. Small sizes, 88/113/138 counts, remain tight and will continue to be limited throughout the season. General quality is reported to be good, but there is more choice fruit coming out of pack-outs than typically expected for this time of year. As quality is showing some pressure and harvest slows down, growers with late-lane navels will start to harvest. These late-season navels will help support supply through June at a premium.

• California Cara Caras: Sizing is currently peaking on 56/72 counts with smaller sizes more limited. Due to rain-related quality impacts, the season is ending early for most with some larger growers expected to have supply through most of May.

• California Valencias: Some growers have started harvest due to the strong demand for small fruit. Much of this fruit is committed to programs. Overall sizing is expected to be large this season, similar to how the navel season started out. Small fruit, 113/138 counts will remain limited.

• Florida Juice Oranges: Valencia season is winding down, but some growers will have storage fruit through most of May. 

• California Lemons: Harvesting is winding down out of District 1 as quality continues to struggle.  Weather has impacted quality, resulting in more Choice-grade fruit and limited shelf life. Increased demand on District 2 lemons is perpetuating an active market as demand outweighs supply. Sizing is peaking on 95/115 counts as smaller sizes will remain limited. Markets will remain active as import season approaches.
• Import Lemons: Supply volume out of Chile and Argentina is anticipated to be like last season with limited volume and a competitive market. First arrivals to the U.S. out of Argentina are anticipated for late-May, with Chilean arrivals to follow in June.

• California Grapefruit: Star Rubies are currently being harvested. No quality concerns are being reported at this time. Good availability on all sizes.

Mandarins

• Import Moroccan Mandarins: Last inbounds of Nadorcotts are available in the Northeast. Fruit has been reported to be acceptable quality with some soft fruit and skin defects. Availability is winding down, with some importers carrying fruit into early May.

• California Mandarins: Rain and prolonged fog earlier this year have impacted quality, resulting in softer fruit and growers estimating anywhere between 10-40% fruit drop. Current quality is good but may weaken in the coming weeks. The excess moisture this season led to softer fruit that will impact utilization. Tight supply and active markets are expected from now until the season concludes late-May/early-June.

• Import Mandarins (Southern Hemisphere): Supplies from Uruguay and Peru will be the first to hit U.S. markets in mid-May. Chilean imports are anticipated for June, followed by South Africa. Due to limited supply out of California, the import mandarin market is expected to be active until July when supply volume ramps up out of Chile and South Africa.

As Chile winds down with inconsistent quality, premium supplies will stay tight and pricing elevated. A quick transition is ahead, with Mexico early and California about three weeks ahead; increased volume through Nogales by late-May should ease markets and support strong summer promotions. Still decent supply of offshore grapes on both coasts to cover needs this week. 

Offshore supply is winding down and will continue for the next 1-2 weeks. Continued good supply out of Northern Mexico. Domestic production out of Yuma and the Imperial Valley is expected to start in 2 weeks, following cantaloupes. 

Region: Veracruz, Mexico

Weather Update:
Warmer, then humid conditions are expected for the upcoming week. Maximum temperatures will range between 87°F and 91°F, while minimum temperatures will range from 78°F to 82°F. 

Market Intel:
The market is changing rapidly so please contact the lime team for more information regarding pricing. 

Sizing Profile:
Peak sizes are 250/230/200.  Size distribution is 110-2%, 150-5%, 175-14%, 200-20%, 230-29%, and 250-30%.

Quality:  
Strong winds and high dew points are expected to pose a quality risk over the next week, as the fruit may suffer damage due to strong gusts of wind and dew-point burn.

Looking Ahead:
For the month of May harvest, a slight increase in medium-sized fruit can be observed on the trees compared to previous weeks. However, the available fruit is expected to be harvested with good quality, supported by the moisture retained in the foliage and soil due to delayed rainfall conditions. In mid-May, we anticipate considerable production volumes, as this crop flowered in December and January during a period of heavy rainfall and low temperatures, and will be ready for harvest with fruit expected to be predominantly medium-sized.

SUPPLY JUST MEETING DEMAND FOR PAPAYA IN THE USA MARKET.
Supply conditions are tighter than last week with yields and quality affecting the availability to service demand.  Market is slightly higher with lower volume arriving this week into the USA. Internal Mexican market remains strong, keeping the overall availability of fruit exported just right out of Mexico. Supply for at least the next two weeks for papaya production is expected to be tighter but still with good quality and good harvest conditions. Prices slightly higher in the U.S. market but should remain stable through April. 
Inventories are showing less availability to offer. 
Majority of sizes between 6-12s with little surplus fruit.
Quality is reported as good with shorter shell life, stem issues, and lower color.
Color 25%- 50% / 12-14 brix at point of shipping. The ideal temperature for Imperial papaya is 48 degrees to avoid quality issues upon receiving.
Crop Outlook:  Forecast has conditions for less supply for the next two weeks.
Market Intel:  Just enough supply to service demand.
Fruit Condition: Some speckling and some scarring, with mostly clean skin. 

We are now shipping pears from Oregon and Washington State, where we are loading Bosc, Anjou pears, and red pears. Overall, we have a fantastic pear crop and will have lots of fruit to promote at good prices throughout the season. The Bosc pears out of the Northwest will be available for another 3 weeks or so. They will be replaced by imports which are beginning to arrive in good quantities into East Coast ports now. The Anjou and red pears are projected to be year-round this year and will be promotable through July. The Bartletts have finished out of the Northwest and there are now new-crop imported Bartletts from Argentina that are available on the East Coast. Pricing and quality are both attractive on this variety and we expect them to remain promotable for the next several months. Overall, the pear category will be very promotable the next couple of months. 

The conventional strawberry market is holding firm, with weather conditions affecting fruit size, maturity, and overall quality—making it harder to supply larger, premium packs and consistent daily volumes. The organic strawberry market is tightening further also as California production faces rain disruptions and a seasonal shift to northern growing regions, leading to reduced supply and creating a stronger market in the short term.

• California – Recent storm activity has brought significant rainfall to California’s primary strawberry growing regions over the past 24–48 hours. Moving forward, order fulfillment will be prioritized from the driest available districts, particularly in Oxnard and some dry pockets within Santa Maria. In northern growing areas (Salinas/Watsonville, California), extended wet conditions are increasing the risk of mold, decay, and pin rot. To mitigate this, field crews will conduct additional maintenance, “stripping” (removing) damaged fruit over the coming 2-3 days. As a result, temporary harvest gaps are expected across both organic and conventional strawberries while fields recover and new, healthy fruit sets develop. Expect daily pro-rates regardless of load location as current demand exceeds overall supply availability. 
• Baja Region – In the Baja region, most growers have already exited due to small sizing and weak market conditions earlier in Q1. Any remaining production is expected to wrap up by the end of April. 

Melons have great supplies with good quality.  We are shipping out East from Labelle, Florida, and Northern Florida will start by the end of the week.  We continue to have good production from Northen Mexico in Nogales out West.  We have good supplies on minis and seedless.  May is a great time to promote melons.