Featured image: Idaho-E. Oregon red onions ready for harvest. Photo by OnionBusiness.com
MARKET
Idaho-E. Oregon
Steve Baker with Baker & Murakami Produce in Ontario, OR, told us on October 9, saying, “Demand for us has been slow this week,” Steve said. “I believe it’s price-related. Certain shippers for whatever reason feel the need to push currently. There seems to be ample supplies on all colors and sizes. Earlier in the week medium-sized items were a little tight. There does seem to be an increased interest from buyers in Mexico. Mainly looking for reds and starting to ask about whites.” Regarding the market, Steve commented, “The market for the most part has been stable this week. With harvest winding down to just a handful of growers left to store. It will be interesting to see the mindset on how they want to market the crop going forward after everything is in from the field.” On transportation, Steve noted, “Transportation has not been an issue this past week.”
On October 9, Marc Bybee with Eagle Eye Produce in Nyssa, OR, gave Eagle Eye’s update and provided details about the region’s special promotion event. “Last week the Idaho Eastern Oregon Promotion Committee held its annual VIP Tour,” Marc said, “A number of customers, both domestic and international attended this year’s event. Four Treasure Valley sheds hosted the group allowing them to tour their packing facilities and educating them on our production processes. There were also multiple stops in the field to inspect the crop and observe harvesting in real-time and in real dust. The VIP tour once again went great.” Marc added, “Thanks to Candi Fitch for her work on setting things up. And special thanks to all my fellow onion people who went out of their way to show off our farms and packing sheds. I know it is extra work and the Promotion Committee appreciates it.” Marc also commented on demand and the market, “Demand here has been respectable. I had planned to slow down this week and primarily pack for program business. That business ended up being quite good this week for us here so I went over my goal. At my facility, we hope to slow down and wait for the market to improve.” He continued, “There is no reason it should not be better. Other than a few sheds that have maybe overplanted, overestimated, or are just plain over their heads on how to market well, all signs are pointing to better markets ahead.” And he said, “All colors are available. Quality is mostly good. There are a few challenge lots out there. Harvest is in the final stretch…and boy is my forklift tired.”
Washington/Oregon
John Vlahandreas with Wada Farms in Salem, OR, told us on October 9, saying, “Well, trying to buy cheap this week,” John said, “They are trying just to see if it works and it’s no surprise. It’s nearing the end of harvest. There will be folks that need the space, and some don’t. Smarter and level heads generally prevail and people should be hanging on to their reds. Let’s face it. At this time of year, it’s a game. It’s always this way. It’s a rough patch market-wise, and sure, there may be a dip, but about 80% of all the storage onions are in with about two weeks to go. Then everyone can have a good assessment of what is really in the barn, and we’ll see the market bounce back. This scenario we have now is typical.” And he added, “Taiwan does seem to be buying a little bit and we are seeing some movement of reds and whites to Mexico. A lot of the Mexico business is a broker thing.”
Idaho/Oregon/Oregon/Utah/Michigan/North Dakota:
Rick Greener with Greener Produce in Ketchum, ID provided his report on October 9. “Well, first off, I wish the market was better,” Rick said. “Demand is average. Doing contract stuff and taking care of precommitments. Not much open market business. It seems like anyone trying to do open market business is also trying to talk the market down. Most shippers are playing it smart, and I recommend, if you are in a place to take Friday off for production, do it!” Rick said. “The market for reds is still strong. Whites are all over the place and yellows depend on the size. It’s all pretty squishy and that can happen at the end of harvest. We have been moving reds and whites to Mexico, but other than that, just not much exciting to report this week” On freight, Rick said, “Still loading flatbeds and that’s nice Reefers are getting snug and getting pricey.” Rick also gave a familiar reminder, “Don’t forget, we have boilers, Cipollinis, and pearls, so come and get ‘em!” Rick ended his report with, “We need continued prayers for North Carolina dn prayers for Florida now.”
Colorado Western Slope/Corinne, UT:
Chuck Hill with The Onion House in Weslaco, TX, said the Western Colorado deal is moving along, and on October 9he noted that demand had increased this week. “The market is trending up, and business is perking up,” he said. “It feels better.” All three colors are shipping from the Olathe shed, and quality is very good. “Transportation is good now, too. Trucks are easy,” he said. Chuck said the Corinne, UT, onions will start shipping around Oct. 21, and the two areas traditionally ship through the holidays and into the early new year.
Colorado Western Slope:
David DeBerry with Southwest Onion Growers in McAllen, TX, said on October 9 that the Western Slope was transitioning to storage, and movement had temporarily slowed. “In Colorado there is not a lot of offerings this week as we concentrate on filling storages and hope for stronger markets.” He added it is “very competitive in the Northwest” at this time.
Bronx, NY:
Lou Getzelman with Canyon Sales Co. on the Hunts Point Market told us on October 9, “We’re shipping onions from all over this week,” Lou said. “We’re still bringing in premium onions from California, we’re in full swing in Idaho and Washington, and then we have local crop here in New York and Canada. Demand is about the same this week, which is slightly off from the last time we spoke. There’s just not a whole lot of business out there this time of year for any item really. I don’t know if it’s the kids being back in school, or people just not going out as much, but it’s fairly slow. Which is just probably par for the course this year, but every year we seem to forget how it gets.” He continued, “We have seen some shippers pull back a bit, hoping for better days and things to pick up around the holiday. The demand for jumbo yellows has been sluggish, there’s enough around that buyers don’t need to book too far in advance. The jumbo red market has held up well, and hopefully we can keep that going. Medium reds were pretty tough to come by for a while, but we have started to see some more local stuff in the New York market and the price on red packages has come down.” And he said, “We should start to see some price stability and a real market form as all the onions get in from harvest and shippers can map out a plan. We’ve seen less of those cheap spot buys arrive in the market this week and things are a little more consistent at least, which is a good thing for the growers.” On transportation, Lou said, “Transportation has surprisingly remain pretty steady for us. We’re praying for everyone affected by the hurricanes this season and praying for everyone’s safety this week in Florida and the Southeast.”
CROP
Mexico/S. Texas:
David DeBerry with Southwest Onion Growers in McAllen, TX, told us on October 9 that Mexico transplants are currently on schedule for late January harvest start. “We are expecting above-average acreage,” David said. He added, “Texas is waiting still on water allocations, and we expect to be half of normal with the difference made up in late Mexico plantings.”