We’re starting to see the first harvests out of the California and Arizona desert growing regions, but volume remains limited and quality continues to vary. Markets are still elevated on Iceberg, Romaine and green leaf, as the Salinas Valley winds down and production shifts south.

Weights remain light across Iceberg and Romaine, both in Salinas and early desert lots. Crews are seeing some rib blight, bottom rot and seeder. Expectations are for volume and weight to improve over the next 10 to 14 days as harvests ramp up and temperatures remain favorable. Most growers are still targeting the week of Nov. 17 for a full desert transition. 

Spring mix and baby leaf availability remain limited. Yields were impacted by the storms earlier this month, and quality concerns are still being reported in arugula and tender leaf items. That said, some growers have stabilized with good color and texture reported in newer lots.

Valencias have officially wrapped up for the season. Early-season California navels are now shipping, though internal sugars (Brix) remain on the lower end for now. We expect to see flavor improve steadily as the season progresses and colder nighttime temperatures help the fruit develop deeper color.

Markets on smaller fruit have softened slightly in recent weeks with improved availability, but pricing is expected to rise again in late December. Size curves are projected to peak on 72-count fruit, which could tighten smaller sizes again as demand shifts ahead of the holidays.

Strawberries continue to be the most challenging berry item. Oxnard is showing improved quality, but not enough to offset the sharp decline from Santa Maria. Central Mexico is picking up slowly, and Baja is still two to three weeks out. Expect tight fills on open market fruit to persist into mid-November. Blueberries are showing better supply with steady Peruvian arrivals and rising central Mexico crossings into south Texas. Raspberry and blackberry volumes are holding steady.

We will continue monitoring field progress across the desert and keep you informed as we move through this critical transition window. While the weather is trending better, inconsistent sizing and quality will remain a theme for the next couple of weeks.

Joey Piedimonte, sourcing manager at PRO*ACT LLC, leverages over a decade of produce industry experience to lead teams, manage key vendor relationships and simplify complex challenges. He is dedicated to growth, strong partnerships and supporting the agricultural community.