“Demand is really low and there is no great reason,” said Joe Bernardi, president of Bernardi & Associates, from his Nogales, AZ, office on February 10. “Initially, people thought it was because of the bad weather across the United States. But this poor market has continued beyond the bad weather. I really don’t know why, but there is a lack of demand.”
The veteran tomato broker, who concentrates his effort on that one category sourcing from districts all over the U.S. and Mexico, said Florida has a good tomato crop this season and has more fruit in this mid-February time frame than it typically does. “But that’s not the reason; they have been chasing the market as well,” he said.
He added that in times like this Bernardi & Associates has to return to its roots and just continue doing what it does best: adding value to both sides of the buy/sell equation by trying to provide a fair price for the grower-shipper as well as giving the buyer a price that he can work with.
“That’s all we ever ask for, a product that is priced right for both sides,” he noted.
Bernardi expects Florida’s tomato volume to decline moving through February and into March, while West Mexico growers should have steady volume at least through March. He noted that the jury is still out on April volume as growers need some rain to help make their late spring crop.
While Bernardi & Associates has long considered the tomato its signature crop, Bernardi said the Nogales office has expanded its offerings well beyond that commodity. Manny Gerardo has been operating from that border crossing office for about 30 years. “This morning I heard him selling pineapples,” Bernardi said. “He also sells citrus, lots of chili peppers, dried chilies, vegetables, we are at the point that if a long-term customer is looking for an item and we can help him get it, we do.”
He added that regardless of what the commodity is the broker’s job is the same, providing added value for both the buyer and seller. Bernardi & Associates has thrived on that philosophy through two generations and more than a half a century of service.
On this February day, Joe Bernardi and his family were still smiling for the successful completion of the 10th Annual Kayla Bernardi Bee Positive 5k Fun Run in their hometown of Turlock, CA. Young Kayla lost her battle with cancer over a decade ago, but the family has kept her memory alive with the annual race donating the proceeds to many different charities and honoring the positive energy Kayla had throughout her too-short life.
“This was the biggest event ever,” Bernardi said of the late January run. “We had over 1,000 signups from across the country (many being produce people participating remotely), 700 runners crossing the line in Turlock and 500 people coming to the after-party at a local brewery.”
He added that “quite a bit of money was raised” with all of it going to charities that are focused on helping children. Jessica’s House and Valley Children’s Hospital are two local groups that benefits from the race every year, but the Bernardi Family is also always looking for new opportunities. “Last year we funded the Modesto Children Museum and a ‘Bee Positive’ exhibit that focused on the important work bees do for agriculture,” Bernardi said.
