Market Could Stand Less Supply to Get Prices Back Up

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Onion Market Update Mar. 21, 2023

Spring has arrived.  Storage crop will wrap up for the most part as we come to the end of April.  Mexican imports currently make up about 30% of the daily movement, and the fresh Texas crop is getting started with more volume daily.

The Southern California crop is coming along but is behind right now due to unseasonably cool temperatures in that region.  The reports I’m hearing is that the crop will be 2-3 weeks late and start out with a smaller profile than normal.  We usually see shipments start in that district around the 20^th of April, but it’ll be the first week of May this year before we see much out of that area.

Considering the poor state of the market right now, we could stand a little less supply to get prices back up where they belong.

Yellows – Storage crop yellows are steady with generally good, consistent quality.  Colossals and supers remain tight with good supplies of medium and jumbo sizes.  Fresh crop from Mexico and Texas has great quality right now with decent availability in all sizes.  Colossal and supers remain somewhat limited, but they are around.

Whites – Storage crop whites are dwindling at this point.  Quality has been a mixed bag, especially as we come to the end of the season.  Good volume and nice quality are available on Mexican and Texas whites right now, and there is plenty of volume on both medium and jumbo sizes. 

Reds – There still seem to be too many reds in the Northwest as we close out the season.  Deals are available on load volume right now.  Quality has been maintained really late in the season so far, which is a positive.  Reds are also available in volume from Mexico and Texas.  So far, quality has been what you’d expect from a fresh crop red.  They are not as pretty as a storage red, but they are making grade just fine, and with the warm weather upon us, they are a safer bet this time of year in warmer regions to avoid sprouting issues that come along with storage crop this time of year.

Editors Note: John Harris is the president and founder of Paradigm Fresh and Colorado Cold Connect in Fort Morgan, Colorado. He can be reached at John@paradigmfresh.com.