Freshspective

Now seeing steady imports on Guatemalan cantaloupes into the Southeast, Northeast, and West Coast. Growers are seeing an even mix of sizing and are starting to get into steadier volume. Quality is strong and not hearing of any issues. 

Oranges

• California Navels: California continues to see good navel volume. Cooler nights have supported natural color development, and most growers remain under 48 hours of gassing time. Recent rains helped boost fruit size. Current peak sizes are 56/72 counts with sizing on smaller fruit becoming snugger. Later in the season, sizing is expected to peak on 48/56 counts. Quality is reported as clean, with a higher share of fancy-grade fruit.
• California Cara Caras: Cara Cara harvest has begun. Sizing should be similar to navels, peaking on 88/113 counts to start but will size up and favor larger sizes as the season progresses.
• Florida Juice Oranges: Hamlin fruit is currently heavier to smaller sizes (125/100 counts), with larger sizes remaining limited. Supplies should continue through most of January before a smooth transition to Valencias. Quality is reported as good.
• Texas Juice Oranges: Juice oranges out of Texas peaking on mid sizes with strong demand on small fruit. Limited volume on fancy fruit. 

Lemons

• California Lemons: Harvest is active in Districts 1 and 3, with good quality and a strong percentage of fancy-grade fruit. Sizing is peaking on 140/165/115 counts. Recent rains helped increase size, improving availability of larger fruit such as 95/75 counts.

Grapefruit

• Florida Grapefruit: Florida grapefruit is showing excellent quality and strong internal characteristics. Supplies are strong, with sizing peaking on 40/48/36 counts.
• Texas Grapefruit: Texas grapefruit crop is producing good supplies. Available sizing varies by grower, but overall supply is meeting demand on all sizes.
• California Grapefruit: Rio Reds and Ruby Reds are currently being harvested with Star Rubies to follow. No quality concerns are being reported at this time. 

Mandarins

• Import Mandarins: Chilean Murcotts are phasing out in the Northeast as the last of the available inventory is sold through. Early-season Moroccan clementines are expected to arrive next week, with Murcotts and Nadorcotts becoming available early next year.
• California Mandarins: California has good availability on the Clementine variety, peaking on 28/32/36 counts. Early- and mid-season varietals—including Clementines, Pages, and Leanris—have a strong volume outlook. Slightly larger sizing is expected, with peaks trending toward 24/28/32 counts. Mid- to late-season varietals such as Tangos and Murcotts are projected to have reduced overall volume but larger size profiles, peaking on 21/24 counts. No quality issues have been reported.
  
  
  
  

Peru shipped 2.6 million boxes of grapes in week 48, signaling rising exports to the U.S. as California’s season has ended and domestic supplies are nearly gone. Strong import demand is keeping spot market prices high, likely through the New Year since week 48 volumes won’t arrive until after Christmas. Green varieties remain tighter than red due to stronger consumer demand. Production in Ica, Peru, is running slightly late but expected to increase in the next two weeks, creating the potential for promotions by mid-January.

The Mexican honeydew crop is starting to transition from northern to southern Mexico for the winter season but there remains availability arriving in Nogales during this transition. Sizing is trending smaller and heavier to 6 count. Import Guatemalan honeydews are available in the Northeast, Southeast, and West Coast and we are seeing slightly lighter supply overall.   

Region: Veracruz, Mexico

Weather Update:

The weather forecast for next week predicts rain on several days. We plan to complete the programs beforehand. Temperatures are expected to range from a minimum of 63 °F to a maximum of 89 °F.

Market Intel:

The demand for limes has been steady.

Sizing Profile:

Peak sizes are 175/150, and size distribution is: 110-7%, 150-23%, 175-25%, 200-20%, 230-20%, and 250-5%.

Quality:  

We have started December with a regular volume of fruit, and we expect this trend to continue throughout the month. Volumes will begin to decrease during the second week, and we will get medium and small sizes mainly. All our programs are progressing as planned.

Looking Ahead:

By mid-December, the volume of fruit will remain stable, each time slightly smaller, but always sufficient to satisfy all programs.  We will see a crop focused on medium sizes. As mentioned, farmers kept November fruit on the tree; by mid-December, most of this fruit should have been harvested. We will start January with a steady volume. We expect to have small- to medium-sized fruit. This will be very beneficial to our established programs. Volume will be slightly reduced, but there is no drastic reduction planned for this month.

SUPPLY MEETING DEMAND FOR PAPAYA IN THE USA MARKET.
Supply conditions remain unchanged with enough supply to service demand. Similar volume arriving this week versus last week with growers still blaming weather conditions affecting the west coast of Mexico for the drop in yields and quality. A strong internal market will keep the overall availability of fruit being exported just right to service the USA out of Mexico. Supply for at least the next two weeks for papaya production is expected to be stable but with some reduction as the colder weather affects fruit sizing. Prices are stable in the U.S. market and should remain stable as we go through November. 
Inventories are showing some availability to offer. 
Majority of sizes are between 6–12s with some surplus fruit.
Quality is reported as good with some shorter shell life and some stem issues due to extra humidity at the fields.
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 steady supply for the next two weeks.
Market Intel:  Enough supply to service demand.

We are now shipping pears from Oregon and Washington State, where we are shipping new crop on Bartletts, red pears, Bosc, and Anjou pears. We anticipate that Bartlett pears will be available to ship this year until around the end of January. The Bosc pears and Anjou are projected to be year-round this year and will be promotable through the first quarter of 2026.

Strawberry Availability

• California: Santa Maria and Oxnard have moderate production; fair quality with some pin rot, spot decay, light color, and short shelf life.
• Central Mexico: Consistent harvesting, good quality, occasional crossing delays.
• Baja: Increasing production, good quality, medium sizing.
• Florida: Week over week, production increases. Good quality and sizing, with promotable volume by late December.
  

• Santa Maria, California - The week of 12/8 is forecast Wednesday and Thursday for sunny skies, mostly sunny for the balance of the week.  Highs in the 70s, decreasing to the 60s for the weekend, and lows in the 40s. The week of 12/15 is forecast on Monday and Tuesday to be mostly sunny, Wednesday sunny, Thursday rainy, Friday and Saturday mostly sunny, Sunday mostly cloudy with showers and a thunderstorm.  Highs in the 60s, increasing to the 70s on Sunday, and lows in the 40s.
• Oxnard, California - The week of 12/8 is forecast on Wednesday and Thursday to be sunny, and Friday through the weekend to be mostly sunny.  Highs in the 70s, decreasing to the 60s Friday through the weekend and lows in the 50s. The week of 12/15 is forecast Monday to be mostly sunny, Tuesday and Wednesday sunny, Thursday rainy, Friday and Saturday sunny, and Sunday cloudy and warn, with rain in the morning, and showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon.  Highs in the 60s, increasing to the 70"s on Sunday, and lows in the upper 40s to 50s.
• Zamora, Michoacan: Week of 12/8 hazy sun. Highs in the 80s and lows in the 50s, decreasing to the 40s Friday through the weekend.
  
   
  
  
  
   

Supplies are limited on watermelons from offshore and Southern Mexico.  Demand is also very light with the cooler weather in most of the selling areas.  We will start Southern Mexico the middle of the month on personal watermelons out of Nogales and seedless a couple weeks after that.