The heat of summer comes with its own challenges for grower-shippers, as many specialty crops grow best under warm, rather than hot, weather. As such, growing regions face constant transitions such as the ones underway right now, where one area will be finishing up just as harvest begins in another. In any year, this calls for planning and calculations to ensure the proper labor, equipment, transportation, and packaging are available in the right place at the right time.
With the complications of last year’s pandemic and the supply chain and labor shortages, these regular difficulties have been multiplied. High truck rates and a tight supply of trucks continue to be seen nationwide.
Asparagus crossings from Mexico movement is expected to decrease slightly, with demand and prices generally unchanged to slightly higher on newer product out of the Central Mexico region. Peru asparagus remains oversupplied with aging product due to earlier vessel delays, with movement expected to decrease slightly this week as ports are skipped to readjust schedules in an attempt to get back on track.
Movement of avocados from Mexico crossing through Texas is expected to decrease slightly with moderate trading and demand. Shippers report unconfirmed disturbances south of the border that may be negatively affecting crossing numbers, with speculation ranging from municipal strikes to roadblocks.
Prices were higher on conventional and fairly light supplies remain adequate for the time being despite the potential reductions in availability. Movement from the South District California is expected about the same. Trading was moderate with prices generally unchanged and demand improving to fairly good as speculation about news from Mexico helped improve demand for the remaining California crop.
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