|
Click to listen to this article
|
By John Harris
It’s been a minute since I put out an update. We are in full transition mode currently. Washington and Idaho-Eastern Oregon are getting underway pretty well and should just about have a full head of steam with all 3 colors available from most shippers by the end of next week. Hot, sustained summer temperatures and smoke seemed to have delayed harvest time a bit this year for a lot of shippers by a few weeks. California is nearly wrapped up with yellows and will likely be completed by the end of next week. New Mexico also has a few guys left with onions, and we anticipate they’ll be about wrapped up by the end of next week. Colorado, Michigan, New York, and Canada are all underway, and there is product to offer from those areas as well.
In my experience, quality from everywhere is very good right now. We had a few hiccups with some of the onions coming out of the really hot temperatures over the summer, but the last couple of weeks have been smooth sailing. Pricing has been very steady for August up to this point. It’s not uncommon to see downward pressure this time of year, but we have not seen that so far.
White onions are holding very strong with a general lack of availability. We should see that loosen up over the next 2 weeks. That could bring down the market slightly, but I don’t expect to see it change too much.
Reds have been steady for the last 4-6 weeks, and prices have not moved. Currently, supply and demand seem to match. Prices are very high compared to market averages, so time will tell where we end up in the coming month as more supplies get harvested and put into storage.
Large yellows will be a premium this year, particularly for colossals and supers. The jumbo market should be very steady as we get into the fall. Due to the heat and the smoke, it seems there may be an abundance of mediums as compared to a normal year, and that market may be a bit soft and lackluster all season. There is still plenty of time for this crop to grow in multiple areas, so with any luck and lower temperatures, the crop can add some size and balance things out.
In a couple of weeks, it’ll be full storage-crop season only again. Trucks have been relatively simple to find in most areas, and rates have been reasonable. As the cherry season gets going in Washington and more onions are being shipped, capacity and rates usually creep up, so don’t be surprised to see that happen over the next couple of weeks. Rates, in general, should still stay consistent and reasonable.
As always, your insight and comments are appreciated. Have a good week, and I’ll update again in a couple of weeks.
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.
