Freshspective
Tuesday, March 18, 2025 | Issue 165
Keep up with the most recent market trends in our Freshspective updates. Discover what's influencing conventional produce, organic options, temperature-controlled capacity, and floral so you can plan ahead and avoid disruption.
Conventional Vegetables
š± Mexican Asparagus Winding Down
Mexican asparagus volume is starting to decline as fields begin to go out of production due to the natural field transition and recent weather challenges. The Caborca season is expected to wrap up by mid-April, with most remaining volume crossing in 11-pound packs, and very limited to no availability of 28-pound packs.
š¢ āļø Peru Season Kicking Off!
Get ready! Peruvian asparagus is about to start, with container availability beginning the first week of April. Weāre expecting great supply, so let us know how we can support your needs!
šæ Local Season Around the Corner!
Itās almost time to support our local growers! Letās start planning strong programs and capitalize on fresh, domestic supply.
š Donāt Forget ā Organic Asparagus is Available!
Looking for organic asparagus? Weāve got it! Contact us for pricing and availability.
Bell Peppers
Oscar.Rodriguez@robinsonfresh.comLarge-sized fruit from Mexico is currently limited, with growers producing more choice and smaller fruit. Expect these conditions to persist in the short term. In Florida, fields are transitioning, so quality is expected to improve as we move into April.
Broccoli
Kelly.Wilson@robinsonfresh.comGood supplies and quality in all regions.
Cabbage
Kelly.Wilson@robinsonfresh.com
After a successful St Patrickās Day, cabbage continues to be in good quality and supply. Deals continue to be available. Time now to focus on planning for Easter promotions!
Celery supplies are steady with good volume available in Oxnard and most growers are expected to finish in the desert growing region by the end of April. The weather forecast calls for average temperatures with no more rain expected in the growing regions this week. Please reach out to your Robinson Fresh representative for updates and information regarding availability and promotions.
Cucumbers
Oscar.Rodriguez@robinsonfresh.comThe Honduran season has concluded, with the last containers arriving today. We will need to switch gears and start loading in Nogales until we see a steady supply from Florida. We expect the season to have steady volume by the first week of April.
Greens
Jaimie.Arias@robinsonfresh.comAll flavors of greens are in good quality and supply. Deals continue to be available. Time now to focus on planning for Easter promotions!
Leaf Lettuce
Josh.Armstrong@robinsonfresh.comIceberg lettuce, romaine, red and green leaf supplies are steady as growers prepare to move north at the end of April. Quality reports are showing great overall quality and good weights. The weather forecast calls for cooler temperatures early this week with warmer weather expected next week. The primary shipping points are Yuma and the Imperial Valley with some availability in Oxnard. Please reach out to your Robinson Fresh representative for more details.
Potatoes
Barry.Rosen@robinsonfresh.comAs the new crop in Florida progresses, product remains tight for reds and golds. Now that the St. Patrickās Day pull is over, we should see a bit of relief. Supplies will be better once we start in North Florida toward the beginning of April. Steady as she goes on storage crop russets out of Idaho. Still ample supplies and reasonable pricing.
Squash
Oscar.Rodriguez@robinsonfresh.comYellow squash is still active, with significant scarring and scuffing prevalent in both growing regions. We are starting to see more crossings from the new growing region of Sonora, and quality is improving. Florida will also begin new fields in the upcoming weeks. Please avoid any promotions until we see a steady volume from the new fields.
Sweet Corn
Mike.Beyer@robinsonfresh.comSubscribe to Freshspective and never miss an update!
Insights to Action
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Conventional Fruits
Apples
Charlie.Incaudo@robinsonfresh.com
We are shipping out of storage this time of year and we still have good supplies of most varieties available out of Washington. Most varieties are still very promotable, and growers are looking to promote apples. The supply of Honeycrisp apples remains very limited. All Honeycrisp packs, sizes, and grades are tight and continue to increase in price. We expect this trend to continue until the new crop arrives in mid-August. Other items that are firming up are the Gala premium 88 size and larger as well as the premium Fuji 72 size and larger. In the next several weeks, we will start to see a few import Gala and Honeycrisp begin to arrive in small quantities to the East Coast. Although this is a welcome new supply, we donāt expect to see a drop in the market pricing in the near future. The imports should provide a stabilizing effect and keep the market from any significant price increases. Overall, we still have a large crop of apples to sell and expect to see attractive pricing on most varieties into the summer this year.
Avocados
Robert.Chirchick@robinsonfresh.com
Avocados remain tight. Most supply is from Mexico, some offshore, and some California. There is a holiday today in Mexico, so no harvesting or packing. The market is expected to remain strong and supply tight on some sizes. Quality remains good.
Bush Berries
Anthony.Labetti@robinsonfresh.com
Blueberries:
Blueberries are slowly tightening up on organic volume but conventional and jumbos are still in good supply. Peru and Chile are finishing for the season. Mexico volume will continue to be steady, and Florida might get some small picks this week but could be delayed again due to storms.
Blackberry supply will continue to be tight this week. Due to weather in Mexico, shipments have been delayed.
Cantaloupe
Katie.Karpenko@robinsonfresh.com
Demand overall remains moderate with steady arrivals. On the East Coast, the smaller sizing 12 counts remain slightly lighter in demand than the premium Jumbo 9 count and 9 count-sizing, with the market holding steady. Arrivals to the West Coast are lighter this week with the market up from last week.
Citrus
Matt.Horvath@robinsonfresh.com
Oranges: California continues to have good availability and quality of navel oranges. All sizes are available, but many growers are still peaking on 72 count and smaller. Fruit is reported to have great quality and brix ranging from 12-15.
California Cara Cara crop is in full swing, with quality and volume strong. Sizing profile is similar to navels. Blood oranges are availability dependent by grower, with some having fruit through April. Minneola crop is peaking on 100/125 counts. Large fruit has been more limited this season, as itās been across the board on California citrus commodities.
Florida has good volume on Valencias, peaking on 80/100/125 counts. Fruit looks clean with brix averaging 11.
Mandarins: Moroccan Nadorcotts are available on the East Coast. Quality is reported to be very good and supply is anticipated to be available through April.
California has strong supply on mandarins. Tangos are the predominate variety, with Murcotts available as well. Overall volume for the season is up from last year with sizing peaking on 28/32 counts.
Grapes
At the moment, importers are still managing large inventories, but much of the fruit no longer meets retail standards and will be directed to wholesale markets. Buyers should anticipate a divided market for the remainder of the month, as importers aim to raise prices for fresh, high-quality arrivals. With many Chilean exporters halting container shipments, U.S. volumes have decreased due to difficulties in securing space on the limited bulk vessels. We can expect a surge in volume over the next two weeks, especially with the USDA marketing order taking effect on April 10th.
Honeydew
Katie.Karpenko@robinsonfresh.com
Limes
Juan.Torres2@robinsonfresh.com
Region: Veracruz, Mexico
Market Intel: The demand for limes has been steady.
Weather Update: TNext weekās weather forecast predicts temperatures between 61Ā°F and 93Ā°F, with no rainfall expected and only one cloudy day.
Sizing Profile: Peak sizes are 175/150/200s. Size distribution: 110-6%, 150-13%, 175-23%, 200-27%, 230-25%, and 250-6%.
Quality: Quality issues being reported: oil spots, blanching, scarring, and skin breakdown.
Looking Ahead: For the month of April, we anticipate a steady harvest in the region. The trees are showing small-sized fruit that is healthy and robust for next monthās harvest. While the overall volume is expected to be moderate, we believe it will be sufficient to meet the demands of all our programs.
Mangos
Ramiro.Quintanilla@robinsonfresh.com
As we enter week 12, we see higher prices reflected in the marketplace, with overall price increases on all sizes. Majority of supply will be coming from Michoacan this week. Expected sizes to be available toward the end of the week will be on 10/12s, with few 9s. We are closely monitoring quality from the field, as some sunken shoulder is still being reported but has decreased from last week.
Papaya
Gustavo.Lora@robinsonfresh.com
Supply Meeting Demand for Papaya in U.S. Market
Supply conditions are stable out of Mexico with some surplus fruit. Weather is currently good for pineapple production and is expected to continue improving through April. Contracts are being serviced and with fruit available to offer. Prices are stable in the U.S. market for the remainder of March.
Inventories are showing some availability to offer.
Majority of sizes are between 6ā12s with SOME surplus fruit.
Quality is reported as good with fruit showing less speckling, some scarring, and mostly green.
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 good supply for the next two weeks.
Market Intel: Enough supply to service demand.
Pears
Charlie.Incaudo@robinsonfresh.com
The Northwest pear crop this season is very small as the crop was down between 30% and 50%, depending on the variety. We are currently shipping Anjou, red, and Bosc pears out of Washington. Prices are extremely high this season and we donāt expect to see significant changes to this until the new crop is harvested in September. Import Bartlett pears are now starting to arrive in very small quantities to the East Coast from Argentina. Prices are on the higher side this year, but quality reports are good so far. Expect to see good supplies of imported Bartletts for the next several months. In a couple of weeks. expect to start seeing some imported Bosc begin to arrive as well. Due to the shortage of Bosc in the marketplace this year, expect pricing to be higher than normal on this imported fruit.
Pineapple
Gustavo.Lora@robinsonfresh.com
Availability: Supply Meeting Demand for U.S. Market
ā¢ Growing region: MEXICO - Good volume of fruit crossing out of Mexico this week. Production is stable with a good distribution of sizes peaking on 6s and 7s. Weather at the pineapple fields remains fair with good yields and excellent quality. Transportation out of Mexico is stable with good availability of trucks to service pineapple shippers. Concern remains regarding potential tariffs to affect Mexican imports, but most shippers remain committed to the U.S. market. COSTA RICA - Supply is stable but with some surplus at the packing plants. Availability is now slightly better on 7s and lower on 6s compared to prior week. Good quality of fruit being exported to U.S. and Europe. Market is stable but expected to increase with less availability to service demand. NO significant surplus expected to happen, and prices will likely increase.
ā¢ Mexican fruit quality is GOOD with better condition overall. COSTA RICA - Volume is stable AT PACKING with the expectation that it remains as is for the remainder of March, improving slightly toward the end of the month. NO surplus fruit is available to pack on large or small counts at this time. The U.S. market is stable on all counts. Costa Rica is under mixed dry/raining conditions in the northern region.
ā¢ Forecast: Some surplus Costa Rican fruit is being offered at this time at U.S. shipping points by large grower/shippers. Market is stable versus last week.
Strawberries
Vickie.Casacca@robinsonfresh.com
California and Baja growing areas did receive some significant rain the past week but will strip any damaged fruit and harvest what they can. Soft demand is keeping the markets depressed. Although Central Mexico is finishing and Florida may continue harvesting into April, there seems to be plenty of availability, especially out of Baja and California, with ample green fruit in the fields.
Weather Outlook:
Santa Maria, California, for the week of March 17th, is forecast to be mostly sunny. Highs are expected in the 60s and lows in the 40s. The week of March 24tj is forecast Monday and Tuesday for sunny skies, Wednesday and Thursday partly sunny, and Friday through the weekend to be mostly cloudy. Highs in are forecast in the low 70s on Monday and Tuesday and decreasing to the 60s for the balance of the week. Lows will be decreasing to the 30s on Sunday.
Oxnard, for the week of March 17th, is forecast to be mostly sunny. Highs are forecast in the 60s and lows in the 40s. The week of March 24th is forecast on Monday to be sunny, Tuesday through Sunday mostly cloudy, with some rain Saturday afternoon. Highs are expected Monday and Tuesday in the 70s, decreasing to the 60s Wednesday through the weekend, and lows in the 50s decreasing to the 40s for the weekend.
Florida - For the week of March 17th, is forecast for Wednesday as sunny, Thursday through Saturday partly sunny with increasing cloudiness, and cloudy on Sunday. Highs are expected in the 80s on Wednesday and Thursday, decreasing to the 70s on Friday, and then increasing to the 80s for the weekend; and lows in the 50s, increasing to the 60s on Sunday. For the week of March 24th, the forecast for Monday is cloudy, Tuesday partly cloudy, becoming sunny for Wednesday, Thursday partly sunny, Friday and Saturday cloudy and then sunny on Sunday. Highs in the 80s and lows on Monday in the 60s, decreasing to the 50s for the balance of the week.
Watermelon
Sam.Schneider@robinsonfresh.com
Watermelon supplies will be light until the middle of April. Demand has also been light. We are shipping from Yucatan, Mexico, out of Omega, Georgia. Florida should get started at the end of the month and supplies will pick up in April. Texas and Nogales have steady supplies from Southern Mexico. Northern Mexico will start the middle of April. We will have very good supplies on mini watermelons in May shipping out of Nogales. rop will also start in four to five weeks. The end of April will be a great time to promote melons.
Organic Fruits & Vegetables
Organic Apples
Charlie.Incaudo@robinsonfresh.comWe had a good crop overall on organic apples this season out of Washington. Movement has been very strong in this category across the country, and this is starting to put some upward pricing pressure on most of the varieties. We expect to see adequate supplies on most of the key items into spring this year; although, we are expecting prices to be higher than last year. The one variety that is extremely tight and very pricey is the organic Honeycrisp. This variety will remain extremely scarce and expensive until the new crop arrives in mid-August.
Organic Citrus
Chris.Lemmon@robinsonfresh.comThe below update from a week ago still remains the case as far as peak sizes and quality. But, with the rain that we have been experiencing over the last week and anticipated this week, supply will be kept very tight as growers are unable to get into the fields to harvest.
Navels: Plenty of organic navels are available. The sizing right now is peaking on 72 and 88 counts, but a few 56 and 113 counts are available. Quality is outstanding right now! The pack-out is 80% fancy and about 20% choice. We are packing a few loads per week.
Lemons: Plenty of organic lemons as well this week and for the next month or two. There is a good mix of sizes coming in from the fields right now but the peak sizing seems to be 115 and 140 counts. The pack-out right now is very good--more than 90% fancy and 10% choice. We are packing a few loads each week.
Grapefruit: Like the others, we have plenty of supply of our grapefruit. We are packing an orchard run on the grapefruit with the fruit being 95% fancy fruit. We are peaking on 40 and 48 counts right now with a few pallets of larger sizes coming in each pack-out.
Organic Dry Vegetables
Chris.Lemmon@chrobinson.comAll colors of bell peppers are available right now out of Nogales. Sizing and volume vary each day on arrivals. For the most part, markets are steady and not very strong. There are plenty of mini sweet peppers available and the market on them is cheap. Itās a good time to promote if you are looking for a great advertisement item. Roma tomatoes are going strong as well and are another item that could be a good promotion.
Organic Melons
Sam.Schneider@robinsonfresh.comWe will start Northern Mexico out of Nogales, Arizona, at the end of April on organic minis. We will a have good supplies in May.
Organic Onions
Chris.Lemmon@robinsonfresh.comThere is a two-tier price structure right now on onions. There are still good supplies on yellow and sweet onions coming out of Washington and the pricing is still moderate. The red onion market out of Washington has jumped as the supply is very limited on open business as most are saving their volume for contracts.
There are new-crop onions coming out of Texas starting this week and all three are available--yellows, reds, and sweets. The pricing is strong as they are just getting started and waiting for the Northwest to clean up this month.
We finished our onions out of Hollister last week but will be back in with red and yellow new-crop onions starting in June.
Organic Pears
Charlie.Incaudo@robinsonfresh.comThe organic pear crop was severely damaged this season and down around 50%. We are still shipping organic Anjou in very small quantities. Imported organic Bartletts have started to arrive now into the U.S. but expect to see pricing much higher than last season. Overall, organic pears will continue to be tight and expensive for the remainder of the year until the new crop is harvested in September.
Organic Potatoes
Chris.Lemmon@robinsonfresh.comColorado potatoes are still available but finding a quality red potato is not possible. Quality on russets and yellow potatoes is very nice though. The market on russets continues to be strong and cartons are tight with high prices at this point. The yellow supply is good and so is the quality. Market is steady over the last few weeks and should remain that way for the next few weeks as well. Washington potatoes are starting to dry up. Most of the russet supply is either gone or committed so finding russets on the open market is tough. There are still good supplies on both red and yellow potatoes and the market is steady on them.
Organic Squash
Chris.Lemmon@robinsonfresh.comHard squash out of Nogales is available but not as plentiful as it has been the last few weeks. Markets are starting to rise a little on all varieties. Soft squash is all over the place, depending on the day you want to buy. Currently, supply on Italian and yellow squash is tight as is the pricing. Last week, cucumbers were cheap and this week the market has jumped up again. There is supply but pre-books are recommended for volume orders.
Organic Sweet Potatoes
Chris.Lemmon@robinsonfresh.comAs smooth as the market and supply have been on sweet potatoes, we are starting to see some changes. It is the time of the year when storage sweet potatoes start to dry up and pricing jumps. The first variety for this to happen is with the Japanese variety. We have seen that market jump over the last week. Overall, the rest of the varieties are in good supply for now and pricing remains steady.
Transportation
REFRIGERATED TRUCKLOAD
East Coast United States
Northeast
As winter weather subsides, stability in capacity improves and rates have softened.
Southeast
The next few weeks should be very similar to the last few weeks. Capacity strains due to Valentineās Day floral have subsided, and rates are expected to stabilize. The Southeast has experienced favorable growing conditions and weather that could mark an early start to produce shipping season, but a 1ā2 week earlier start will likely be muted by commodity prices that are high enough to temper retail demand, avoiding a major disruption.
Freight Rates
Freight Rates have decreased since they peaked during winter storms in the region.
Texas
Delays and congestion have occurred along the southern border but have been improving recently. Capacity is expected to tighten slightly through March, applying minor pressure to rates as the quarter closes.
Current Trends
Freight rates are beginning to level off as capacity is normalizing. The next month is expected to see more of the same.
Demand
Load postings have decreased in recent weeks, slightly more than seasonally expected. This typical decrease has begun to flatten out and we should see some subtle improvements in the coming weeks.
Current Trends
Freight rates have broadly reached the lowest point of the year. Across the West, costs should stabilize over the next several weeks although they can vary from North to South, as well as by the ports or farther inland.
GLOBAL UPDATES
OCEAN CARRIER CONSOLIDATION - Fresh produce growers and shippers attempting to move cargo globally via ocean vessels are dealing with scenarios where ocean carriers genuinely dictate some markets. They dictate and determine the marketability and viability of export markets for many fresh produce exporters. Shippers are being forced to commit earlier to ocean lines to reserve space for upcoming seasons, and spot market space on vessels is nearly impossible to secure.
TARIFF IMPACTS - Fresh produce growers and shippers in North America are bracing for the potential implementation of new tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada. These tariffs could significantly affect the cost structure and market dynamics for many fresh produce exporters. Growers and shippers are being advised to diversify their markets and strengthen local partnerships to mitigate the impact of these tariffs. Additionally, there is an increased focus on leveraging technology and innovative practices to enhance supply chain resilience and reduce dependency on any single market. The uncertainty surrounding these tariffs is prompting industry players to prepare for multiple outcomes, ensuring they can continue to provide a steady supply of fresh produce to consumers despite potential cost increases.
DEMURRAGE/DETENTION CHARGES - Shippers negotiating with ocean carriers or freight forwarders on perishable cargo contracts should request as much free time at destination as possible to reduce the risk of detention/demurrage charges when inspections/fumigations or drayage capacity constraints delay cargo delivery at destination. Unavoidable and unprecedented demurrage and detention charges due to delays in turning cargo at destination continue in 2025.
CONTAINER SHORTAGE ā The ongoing shortage of refrigerated ocean containers is significantly affecting shipments from Latin America (LATAM) to the USA. This issue stems from a combination of seasonal demand and global logistics disruptions. An imbalance in container availability, compounded by extended transit times and port congestion, is leading to delays and rising shipping costs. Most ocean carriers have responded by imposing elevated peak-season surcharges. Addressing this issue requires coordinated efforts to improve container availability and streamline logistics processes.
For more global freight insights please visit Global Freight Markets Insights | C.H. Robinson.