Featured image: New crop Eastern Oregon yellows, photo courtesy of Jason Pearson with Eagle Eye Produce Company in Nyssa, OR
MARKET
California/New Mexico/Washington:
Jason Pearson with Eagle Eye Produce in Nyssa, OR, told us on Aug. 9 that his company is currently shipping out of California, New Mexico and Washington. “We are still moving onions out of California and New Mexico this week,” he said. “We had been shipping out of Washington, but we had some rain, and that has put some delay for us there. And we won’t start shipping again until Monday when we start out of our Nyssa shed.” Jason continued, “New Mexico and California are starting to clean up, but there is good availability of yellows out of California and availability of all three colors out of New Mexico for now.” On demand, Jason said it’s been pretty good this week. “We have good demand,” he said. ‘Mexico is in high demand, and they are looking for whites – and they are very tight. They are looking for reds that are in tight supply, and then they are looking for yellows too. So I guess it depends on the company, but we have been busy.” On the market, Jason said, “The first part of the week California dipped a bit, but today it’s getting back up there. New Mexico has been holding, so I think we are in pretty good shape going into next week to get going with Eastern Oregon and back up with Washington. If all goes well with Mother Nature, we’ll have yellows and reds out of Eastern Oregon next week with whites the following week, and all three colors shipping out of Washington.” Jason ended his report with a comment on transportation, saying, “If you want a truck, it doesn’t matter the area, you can definitely find a truck. So no problems there.” Many thanks to Jason for the recent Eastern Oregon harvest shots. Click the image to enlarge and scroll.
California/New Mexico/Oregon/Idaho/Washington:
Rick Greener with Greener Produce in Ketchum, ID, told us on Aug. 9 that his team is selling onions out of California, Oregon and Washington, and they are just starting up in Idaho. “Demand at the first of the week was pretty doggie, but today it’s perked back up,” he said. “Buyers are looking for mediums in yellows and reds, and they also want colossals.” He added, “Quality seems to be good no matter what area we are pulling from, and the onions are making good deliveries. Buyers are ready for new crop, and California and New Mexico are starting to wrap it up.” Rick noted, “There is some talk about pressure on the market, but honestly I know of some Northwest shippers who are holding off a week or two to ease the pressure. I mean why wouldn’t they? If some out there are interested in driving down the market, there are shippers thinking they have a little time here. So I say keep your pants on and get out the suspenders!” On transportation, Rick said there are plenty of trucks out there. “There isn’t any problems finding trucks, though I have heard rumblings of the possibility of rates getting higher, so be aware.”
Idaho-E. Oregon:
Chris Woo checked in a couple of times with us over the last several days, and he proved what a difference a week makes with his reports on early onions getting ready to start and the crop maturing. On Aug. 4 he told us there was a “whole lot of stuff going on up here,” including the annual county fair as well as the local wheat harvest – “and hop production will commence shortly.” While driving around the area last week, Chris stopped to “pass out sweet corn and watermelons to some of my homies and also look at the final stage of our onion crop.” He told us that what had started out months ago as a “cool and damp spring with no lasting damage” resulted in most of the onion crop having caught with “final watering for the season being considered.” Dry and warm growing conditions have helped finish off this year’s crop, he said, and the region has “adequate water to utilize for not only this year, but for next season as well.” Chris said, “It’s been really nice to walk through fields and see how the crop has bulbed and sized up.” He sent us a photo last week of a white onion field with “snow” applied to keep the onions from greening up and also to deflect the sun. This week Chris updated his report to say rain had washed most of the snow away. “The weather has moderated, and we have had a few light, gentle showers the last couple of days – just enough to knock the dust down and push some nutrients back into the ground.” He added, “Because of that, early onions coming in will have decent size and good skin. Later varieties will continue to mature.” And Chris said, “Walking the fields, I see onion tops still look healthy and tall with plenty of shade canopy for the onion bulbs. Couldn’t ask for better growing conditions to finish this year’s fine crop. When I’m out in our onion fields, I have to watch where I’m walking and be careful I don’t trip over the growing bulbs.” Our thanks to Chris for the great photos and timely updates. Click the image to enlarge and scroll.
Vidalia/Peru/Northwest:
Dan Borer with Keystone Fruit Marketing reported in on Aug. 9, saying that Vidalia is all but finished, and Peru has replaced Vidalia sales on the East Coast with onions. “Peru has been coming in for a few weeks now, and the quality looks really nice so far,” Dan said. “On the East Coast, they will be able to replace the Vidalias.” About the Northwest, he said, “We are finishing up with our Walla Walla program and getting started with new crop in the Northwest. The Walla Walla season turned out well for our growers marketwise, and I think they will be able to do well this year – no complaints.” He added, “It’s early for the new crop in the Northwest, and growers are just getting ramped up. So it’s hard to say where everything will shake out. There is some short-term pressure on the market, but again, it’s early, and everyone is just starting to get ramped up.”
Bronx, New York:
Lou Getzelman with Canyon Sales Co. on the Hunts Point Market told us on Aug. 8, “Demand has been strong this week. The market seems to have found a little footing in the jumbo yellow deal, and buyers have a bit more confidence.” He also said, “We’re seeing some upward price action in the red and particularly the white market. Supplies are limited at the moment, so book those orders.” Lou added, “We continue to ship great quality out of California, and we have started to see the most recent lots out of the Northwest look very good. From all reports that we are getting out West, the quality should be very good this year. We’ve also seen our first New York State onions land, and they look very good.” He concluded, “We’re excited and expect there to be good buying opportunities for the coming weeks.”
Organic Onions:
Brad Sumner with Pacific Coast Trading in Portland reported in on Aug. 9, telling us for the current week, “Organic onion demand is good and regular. Demand for mediums, mostly yellows, is a little stronger, as that size is shorter than the others. Demand for smaller sizes is the trend right now. Some shippers are in their transplant crop and transplants tend to be larger overall.” Brad added, “The organic market is steady and normal. There are always deals and contracts to contend with, but overall pricing is good. I am getting little price help from fellow shippers when our Mexico doesn’t come in on time and I have to spot buy. Heck, I would do the same if the situation was reversed.” He said of sourcing onions in the Northwest, “Transition is upon us and most of the Oregon and Washington organic sheds are packing onions. There are a few that are still a couple weeks away from start up. By Aug. 21 we should be in full transition. California sheds will continue through November, with some having storage organics through the New Year.” When asked about quality, Brad said, “Our Baja, MX, red and yellow OG onions are still available, and quality has been outstanding. The white onions out of the same region, not so much… a lot of green. California quality is good, and the Northwest transplants that I have seen are a little pale, thin skinned, but overall quality is nice.” He went on to say, “California’s high desert is just getting started, and that storage crop goes into March. A few in Central California are players into November. Nevada should be starting up shortly as well, although I have no official word on that. And on transportation, Brad said, “Relief has come for my California-to-Portland and Washington loads! With loads available southward, northward has eased up.”
CROP
Colorado Western Slope/Tampico, MX:
David DeBerry with Southwest Onion Growers in McAllen, TX, told us on Aug. 9 his growers in Delta had reported good conditions on the Western Slope. David said, “It’s going well. They’ve had some high temperatures lately, but they’ve also had some rain. The growers tell me they’re on schedule for a Labor Day start-up and are expecting normal yields this year with all sizes and colors at the outset.” He added that the Western Slope “doesn’t vary a whole lot from year to year. The longer days and fewer days in the ground remove some of the variables other areas have.” He said The Western Slope has two distinct advantages, the first being good weather “most of the time.” And the second is “a distinct freight advantage.” David said he expects the market to “be competitive this year,” noting the industry has seen “multiple years with above-historical prices.” That, he said, “has always led to a correction, whether small or big. That’s agriculture.” He said crews in the Tampico, MX, growing region have not yet planted seed beds due to weather conditions.
Colorado Western Slope/Corinne, UT:
Don Ed Holmes with The Onion House in Weslaco, TX, said on Aug. 9 it’s status quo with his Colorado grower and Utah growers. The onions continue to grow, and the Olathe, CO, team anticipates starting between Sept. 10-15 with all colors and sizes available. Corinne will start 2023 onions Oct. 10.
