Freshspective

Cantaloupes remain light at all ports due to delayed vessels and lighter harvests out of Guatemala and Honduras. Offshore production will continue through the month. Domestic Arizona production is expected to start earlier in May due to warmer than average temperatures the last month pushing the crop forward.  

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.
• California Cara Caras: Sizing is currently peaking on 56/72 counts and is expected to trend larger as the season progresses. Similar to navels, smaller sizes, 88/113/138 counts remain tight and will continue to be limited.  Season is winding down but larger growers expect 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. 
• Florida Juice Oranges: Valencia season is winding down, but supplies are available with peak sizing on 80/100/125 counts. Florida groves experienced freezing temperatures earlier this year which has affected the crops. Growers are anticipating a shorter season with limited availability. 

Lemons

• California Lemons: Harvest is active across Districts 1 and 2. Weather has impacted quality, resulting in more Choice-grade fruit than typically expected for this time of year. 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 similar to last season, with a competitive market. First arrivals to the U.S. out of Argentina are anticipated for late May, with Chilean arrivals to follow in June.

Grapefruit

• Texas Grapefruit: Texas grapefruit ae peaking on large sizes with limited supply on mid-size and smaller fruit.  
• 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: Nadorcotts are available in the Northeast. Fruit has been reported to be acceptable quality with some soft fruit and skin defects. Available supplies should run through mid-April, pending demand.
• 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. Overall reduced supply volume on Tangos and Murcotts as the end of the season approaches. 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.
  
   
  
  
   
   

Heavy rains in Chile are expected to tighten supplies of high-quality grapes in April, especially since the U.S. relies heavily on Chilean imports. Although growers harvested early where possible, remaining grapes may suffer quality issues, and overall shipments are already low and likely to decline further by mid-April. With limited supply from Peru and weather issues in Brazil, buyers should expect higher prices and inconsistent quality until Mexico’s season ramps up in mid-May. 

Offshore honeydews remain light at all ports. Production will continue in Guatemala and Honduras through the month. Better availability on Mexican honeydews in Nogales that will continue through May. Domestic production in Arizona is expected to start early- to mid-May. 

Region: Veracruz, Mexico

Weather Update:
Warm and humid conditions are expected to prevail, with daytime high temperatures ranging between 82°F and 86°F and nighttime lows around 63°F to 66°F. Partly cloudy skies will dominate throughout the period, although there is a likelihood of light to moderate rainfall and isolated showers midweek, accompanied by periods of moderate winds. Overall, typical regional conditions are anticipated, characterized by warm daytime temperatures, elevated humidity levels, and variable weather patterns alternating between sunshine and rainfall.

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 110-1%, 150-4%, 175-14%, 200-19%, 230-29%, and 250-33%.

Quality:  
Winds are expected to pose a quality risk during the upcoming week, as the fruit may sustain scarring damage due to significant wind gusts.

Looking Ahead:
At the beginning of the April harvest, it can be observed that there is no significant volume of fruit on the trees. However, the available fruit is expected to be harvested with good quality, supported by the moisture retained in the foliage and soil due to the expected rainfall conditions.  In the month of May, we anticipate considerable production volumes, as this crop flowered in December during a period of heavy rainfall and low temperatures and will be ready for harvest, with fruit expected to be predominantly medium-sized.

SUPPLY MEETING DEMAND FOR PAPAYA IN THE USA MARKET.
Supply conditions remain good but there are less yields reported at the farms which is affecting the availability to service demand.  Stable but lower volume is arriving this week with growers claiming lower yields but less quality issues. Internal Mexican market remains solid, 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 stable with weather collaborating for good quality and good harvest conditions. Prices are slightly higher in the U.S. market but should remain stable through April. 
Inventories are showing less availability to offer. 
Majority of sizes are between 6–12s with some 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. 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 all season. The Bosc pears will be available out of the Northwest through at least May this year and we also have Bosc arriving from Argentina and Chile this week. 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 expect them to remain promotable for the next several months. Overall, the pear category will be very promotable the next several months. 

The strawberry market has firmed up. Steady production expected across the California growing districts for the foreseeable future as spring acreage production continues to expand; however, some periodic rain could impact future quality.

• California – Warm nighttime temperatures combined with forecasted rain are expected to increase humidity levels, which may negatively impact crop quality. These conditions often contribute to mold and pin rot development. As a result, harvest schedules may be disrupted around the wet weather, and additional field maintenance could be required afterward. Overall, this is likely to affect pack-out consistency across both organic and conventional production.
• Baja Region – Both conventional and organic shipments are remaining closer to local markets due to ongoing quality concerns. Rain in the forecast is expected to further exacerbate these challenges. Acreage is continuing to be scaled back, with most growers planning to wrap up production by the end of April—or sooner if market conditions do not improve.

Watermelon supplies are picking up out of Northern Mexico.  We have great volume of mini 6 counts in Nogales as well.  Nogales will continue to pick up in volume, and it is a good time to start carrying bins again. Southern Florida is also going with limited volume, and supplies will continue to pick up.  The end of April and May will be a good time to promote watermelons.