Melons remain in focus as the industry works through a rough handoff from the desert to the San Joaquin Valley. The Arizona-California desert season has wrapped up after insect pressure, worsened by a warm winter, reduced yields and forced an early finish. San Joaquin Valley production is under way, but the crop is not building fast enough yet to fully cover demand. Cooler weather this week may slow growth and stretch the supply gap a little longer, keeping markets elevated until new fields gain momentum.

Cantaloupe volume is slowly improving, and quality out of the San Joaquin Valley has been very good with strong internal color. Sizing is leaning large, with nine-count and jumbo nine-count fruit most available, while 15-count fruit remains very limited. Markets should begin to ease as volume improves, but relief will likely be gradual.

Honeydews remain more challenged. Mexico does not have enough fruit to backfill the domestic gap, the desert deal has finished and San Joaquin Valley harvests are just getting started in a small way. Honeydews typically trail cantaloupes by five to seven days, and cooler temperatures may push production back even further. 

Overall honeydew volume is expected to be lighter than cantaloupe, with five- and six-count fruit limited and eight-count slightly more available. Honeydews will remain the more difficult melon item in the short term.

Lemons remain elevated as District Two carries most of the domestic crop. District Two, the Ventura/Oxnard coastal region, typically grades heavier to choice fruit than fancy due to coastal wind exposure. Sizing is also part of the challenge and, like much of the fruit this season, is trending larger, leaning toward 95-count through 140-count. All sizes remain limited.

Offshore fruit from Argentina and Chile is helping supplement supply, and Mexican shipments are also just getting started. While import programs should help fill some gaps that California cannot cover, overall availability remains limited and pricing is expected to stay firm.

Strawberries out of Salinas and Watsonville are steady. Cooler weather has helped quality and shelf life, but it has also slowed ripening and kept production from opening up. A warming trend into the weekend should help bring on more fruit, and open market availability may improve. Santa Maria has started with a small amount of new crop fruit, with more volume expected to build over the next couple of weeks. 

Blueberry supplies are improving as the Pacific Northwest builds and Michigan gets started. The Pacific Northwest is entering peak production, with Oregon moving into its second full week and British Columbia beginning to pack. Overall supply should continue to improve week over week.

Blackberries and raspberries remain more active. Mexico is nearly finished on blackberries, and California is increasing slowly due to cooler weather. Pacific Northwest blackberries should begin later in July. Raspberries are also working through a transition, with Mexico declining and California gradually adding volume. Baja should help more later in July.

Melons are waiting on San Joaquin Valley volume, lemons are leaning on imports and grade flexibility, and berries are moving region by region. Lead time and sizing flexibility will make the biggest difference until these programs build into stronger supply.

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.