Chicken
Chicken tenders and wings continue to have extremely high demand. Wings and tenders make up the smallest percentage of bird weight and when supply is tight those offerings will always be tightest.
June 21, 2024
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Market Headlines
Poultry
Wings and tenders continue to be hottest part of the bird and excess supply is nonexistent. The wing market continues to show growth despite being in a traditional slow time for wing demand. The breast market was steady this week as supply and demand has leveled off. Dark meat demand remains very good. Whole birds are balanced.
Pork
Pork butts are relatively flat for next week, expect markets to trend up after this flat week. Spareribs look to be coming down while backribs and St. Louis are flat. Bellies are also coming down as demand has come down. Loins are following suit with pork butts.
Beef
Packers continue to eye higher cattle cost, while buyers continue to experience slower sales. Middle meats continue to trade mostly steady. Tenderloins continue to trade under pressure from lagging consumer demand. Insides, chucks, and grinds continue steady. The COF report will be released on Friday; the on–feed number is projected to be 1.1% below a year ago.
Dairy
Shell egg markets flat this week. The Block & Barrel are up. Milk volumes are noted to be tighter than in recent weeks as temperatures rise. Butter is down. Cream availability is tightening to various degrees throughout the country, butter producers indicate cream volumes are generally able to meet processing needs.
To learn more contact your local Sales Consultant. Market Corner Produce information reflects both U.S. and Canadian markets. All other commodity information is based on U.S. market data only.
Produce Market Updates
Vegetables
Asparagus
Market is much higher as supply has decreased significantly as local production ends. Mexican and Peruvian supplies will be limited.
Bell Peppers
East – Green bell supply very light, demand very good, and market is extremely high. Quality good on what is shipped. Georgia crop coming to an end and the northern crops are not ready yet. Red and yellow bells are extremely limited.
West – All peppers are in extremely short supply due to extreme heat in the desert and lower production in Bakersfield. Quality is poor demand exceeds supplies, markets are much higher. Relief not expected until first week of July.
Broccoli
Market continues to push up as growers contend with lower yields that are limiting supplies in both California and especially Mexico. Expect demand to exceed supplies for the next few weeks.
Cabbage – Green & Red
Red pricing remains elevated as supplies continue to be snug. Supplies and quality good on green that market is mostly steady on the West Coast.
Cauliflower
Market is lower on moderate demand, supplies are currently meeting demand.
Celery
Market lower as we settle into Salinas, and supplies continue to meet demand.
Cilantro/ Parsley
Tight supply continues and Cilantro and market is firmer with demand exceeding supplies with many growers. Parsley markets active as Italian Parsley supplies remain limited, and quality is fair, curly parsley supplies are better.
Corn
East – Corn supplies for Yellow and Bi Color are good in Georgia and the southeast. Expect good supplies along with quality to go through Holiday pull for 4th of July.
West – Market is steady with continued low supply. Mostly white available with limited bi–color and yellow. No significant increase to supply expected short term.
Green Beans
East – Bean supply better, quality good, and market lower.
West – Somewhat limited with some new acreage coming into play in the next week. Market is high but steady.
Lettuce Iceberg
Better supplies and yields are moving back up with warmer weather. Strong markets continue though due to lighter plantings but is trending down.
Onions
Supplies are good on yellow and white in New Mexico and California with no issues to report. Quality is good. Prices are active on reds as planting transition in New Mexico. Yellows and Whites are mostly steady.
Potatoes – Russets
Supplies are light on 40–50 ct from most suppliers. 90–120 ct are plentiful. This now looks to be the case through the summer months. Demand is following supply accordingly. Prices are steady on large and lower on smaller sizes. Quality is good.
Squash
East – Zucchini and yellow squash supplies better, demand weaker, and markets falling.
West – Supplies have increased, and market is lower. Quality is fair to good.
Tomatoes
Grape & cherry markets remain steady both east and west. Round and roma markets are escalating due to GA & SC harvest wrapping up out east and MX wrapping up out west. California harvest is just now starting, so it may be 1–2 weeks before any available round and roma volume is ready for harvest.
Fruit
Avocado – Alert
An incident suspended Mexican imports into the U.S., unrelated to avocado production. There is current inventory, but as it takes
multiple days for the “ripening” process, we are expecting significant shortages for the balance of this week and all of next. It is uncertain at this time as to when the border will re–open.
Blueberries
Supplies remain short for the next couple weeks before rebounding, the market steady at the current higher level. Quality is reported as good.
Citrus – Alert
Lemons –Alert– Imports are arriving and will continue to increase from late June into early July. California is still experiencing a shortage of small lemons. General lemon demand remains strong. Demand is very active and exceeds supply. Market will be tight through the summer.
Oranges –Alert– Re–greening due to summer heat is upon us, but with no effects on taste, just appearance. Extra time may be needed to gas Valencias to bring on color, which may cause some loading delays at packinghouses.
Limes – Heavy rainfall in growing regions this week is expected and will limit harvesting. This will ultimately benefit crops in the long run, but currently can cause some quality issues. Most of the volume is in 230’s, 250’s, 275’s. Very limited volume on large sizes (110–150 ct).
Melons
Cantaloupe – peak volume this week with primarily larger fruit. Optimal quality thus far this season with high color and excellent internal quality. Honeydew volume is good with larger fruit as well. Seeing some scarring due to high winds, internally fruit is
excellent.
