Download Our PDF for this report
Dockworkers in key ports along the East Coast and Gulf are expected to go on strike next week if their demands are not met. This has the potential to disrupt beef trade.
Hurricane Helene will be making landfall this week and should cause plant closures across chicken country. Expect a temporary increase in shortages.
Bigger birds, better hatchability, and larger egg sets are allowing extra supply on the market, especially in the boneless market. Tenders and breasts are seeing increased supply on all sizes. Wings are seeing extra availability on all sizes. Dark meat demand remains very good. Whole birds are mostly balanced.
Butts both Bone-in and boneless are steady. Bone-in loins were softer due to increased supply on the spot market. Light trade activity is noted again in St. Louis and back ribs so called sideways, whereas spareribs are stead. Bellies are settling, supply and demand is mixed but trading in established price levels. Trim is steady to higher for supply.
Packers reduced harvest late last week. Ribs continue to trade slightly higher supported by holiday bookings. In the loin complex, Strips appear to have found a floor, while tenderloins are trading higher. The chuck and round complexes are encountering resistance. Grinds continue to offer opportunity to buyers, although reduced harvest could limit availability.
Shell egg markets are down this week. California and Northwest markets are down. After a 55% drop over the past four weeks, breaking stock values appear to have hit a point of stabilization. The Block is decreasing & Barrel are increasing. Barrel hit a record high and the spread between barrel and Block has widened. Butter is down.
Soybean oil futures traded higher with reports of very tight stocks with good biofuel demand. Canola has moved higher with speculative trading. Palm continues to move higher and is pressuring soybean oil. Olive oil has flattened as oil stocks are poor and demand has increased with the lower market.
The frozen tilapia market is highly unsettled with the news of a strong typhoon hitting several areas in both China and Vietnam. Prices of imported shrimp are also increasing due to import cost increases. Octopus market continues to firm up due to increased demand in Europe and the U.S. and decreased raw material availability.
Volume is expected to improve from both Mexico and Peru barring any adverse weather changes or possible port delays in the next ten days. Quality from both regions is fair to good. Demand moderate to fairly good. Market is slightly higher.
Market is a little active as quality issues have reduced yields in the fields keeping volume snug and just meeting demand.
Market mostly steady to lower but expect it to be active as we get closer to transition south and only moderate supplies currently. Quality is fair to good.
Market softer on Cilantro on good supplies and moderate demand. Parsley is mostly steady on moderate supply and demand. Quality is good on both, however some minor yellowing noted on some lots of parsley.
Market up as demand has increased on moderate supplies. Quality reported as good.
Demand is very strong, and the market remains elevated. The volumes are much lower due to losses from extreme heat in
Mexico. Growers are struggling to keep up with demand and sizing is trending on the small side.
Depending on the path of Hurricane Helene the supplies on the following items could be greatly impacted green beans, corn, cucumbers eggplant, bell peppers and squash.
Demand is moderate to good, and market is mostly steady with good supplies and good weights getting packed.
Romaine market is mostly steady with higher undertones as quality issues are impacting yields. Hearts have strong demand and good supplies. Market remains firm.
Supplies are good on new crop yellows and reds from Washington and Idaho. Demand is good. Quality has been good. Prices are lower on all colors.
Supplies are good on the new crop. The size so far is large with some growers being limited on small sizes. Quality is also good.
Prices are lower on all sizes.
East – Supplies steady. Quality good, and market steady. Hurricane Helene could have a significant impact on crops.
West – Supplies starting to decrease as fall weather becomes prevalent. There will be an uptrend in the market to reflect supply and quality.
Romaine market is mostly steady with higher undertones as quality issues are impacting yields. Hearts have strong demand and good supplies. Market remains firm.
Supplies on small fruit 60s & smaller has tightened up in the US. Anticipate 48ct to stabilize, with 60/70/84ct to increase in price this week and next. #2 grade fruit is very limited.
Supplies continue to be limited from all suppliers due to weather-related quality issues. Peru volume is lighter than normal but is gradually increasing. We will not see normal supplies until Mid–October.
Lemons – Demand for lemons is steady. The harvesting of desert lemons has started in a small way, expect better availability next week. Fruit quality is good, and the peak sizes projected are 140s, 165s and 115s followed by 200s.
Oranges – High demand continues to push market up while supplies are dwindling down. Domestic Valencia oranges have finished for most all suppliers. Major delays on port arrivals have impacted the supply of import oranges to fill the void of domestic fruit.
Limes – New crop producing 80% of volume in 250’s/230’s. Very limited volume in 110’s/150’s. Recent rain will help fruit grow into larger sizes that are so limited currently. Expect more volume on 110–175’s in the next 2–3 weeks. Quality overall has improved.
Supplies remain good and quality good as well. Not much change expected for the next 2 weeks, market is steady
