Featured image: Brawley, CA crop progress courtesy of Megan Jacobsen with Gills Onions and Jose Cardona with Rio Farms
MARKET
Washington:
Matt Murphy with L&M Cos. in Raleigh, NC, told us on Dec. 8 that demand is steady this week for their onions out of Warden, WA. “Demand is fairly good this week, but I wouldn’t say it’s off the charts by any means,” he said. “The truck situation is horrible in Washington, and that is slowing us down a bit. We’re definitely keeping an eye on it. We knew it was going to be bad with the Christmas tree deal. People started buying trees early, too. We’re thinking the tree thing might be over sooner than normal because there aren’t as many trees out there, but transportation probably won’t get better until after the first of the year.” He continued, “Of the demand we have, reds are the hottest. Everyone is looking for reds. Yellows follow the reds, and then whites. Whites really haven’t taken off.” Matt said the market is holding. “The market is creeping up a little,” he said. “People are out there pushing up, and it’s been working to some extent, but at the very least everyone is doing a really good job of holding the market.” L&M’s supplies, Matt said, are in good shape. “We are shipping really good quality, and we are going at a good pace. We’ve been able to go five days a week, and though we’re off a little on supplies, if we keep going the way we have been, we’ll be able to go into April, which will be a perfect transition for us to move into our California program.”
John Vlahandreas with Wada Farms provided his report this week from his Salem, OR, office. “Demand has been really good,” he said. “Of course there is a shortage of onions, and we all keep repeating it so we know the deal.” John added, “Reds are a hot item, and jumbo yellows are moving well, too. The medium market is good and should remain that way through the holidays. Movement and the market should be good into January. In past years the pipeline would tend to fill up after the first of the year, but with the shortages, that may not happen.” He continued, “I do think we need to remember that these prices are good ones, and the market is holding firm. Buyers are buying, and that is all good. Unfortunately, we can’t make up for all the bad years in one year though, so we do need to sell what we have and not hold back waiting for an even bigger increase.” John said, “We have Spain coming in, New Zealand on the horizon, and Mexico coming in late January and early February. We need to capitalize on this good market and the really good quality we have.” About quality, John added, “The good thing about a reduced supply, a good market, and good quality is that you can choose who you ship to. Consequently, we haven’t had any issues with deliveries, and that’s all good.” But, he said, “Transportation is still bad. Christmas trees are still shipping, and that’s not helping – and God knows it’s un-American if you don’t get that fresh Christmas tree up.” John concluded, “Honestly, with labor the way it is and supplies the way they are, I think in some cases shippers are thankful when the trucks are delayed by a day or two so they have time to get the orders together.”
Washington/ Idaho-E. Oregon:
Jason Pearson with Eagle Eye Produce in Nyssa, OR, reported in on Dec. 8. “Demand has been very good this week,” he said. “There has been a recent spike in demand for whites. Mexico is pulling more, and we are selling more in general. Yellows are moving well, and of course, the red market is hot, because red supplies are tight.” He continued, “The market has been holding well, and marketers have done a good job. Now, everyone has to remember not to drop their trousers because there is absolutely no reason to. As far as Eagle Eye goes, our quality has been very good.” Jason went on to say, “On the other hand, transportation has been HOOORRRIBLE! There is just no other way to put it.
Idaho-E. Oregon:
Chris Woo with Owyhee Produce in Nyssa, OR, and Parma, ID, shared a bit of holiday spirit with us on Dec. 7, saying he is “enjoying this time of the year immensely.” Chris added, “The air is sharp and brisk, pointing us towards a festive holiday moment. Growers have finished up their fall tractor work and are taking advantage of a much-needed break in the action.” And, he said, “Packing sheds are busy packing high-quality merchandise at favorable pricing for their fine customer base. Their business plan is to continue to deliver to the stores and end-users the highest of freshness throughout this holiday season.”
Idaho:
Rick Greener with Greener Produce in Ketchum told us on Dec. 8 that business is a bit slow this week. “Hey, I am not going to lie – it’s a little doggy this week on the open market,” he said. “I mean it’s not terrible, just a little slow. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not having any impact on the market. Buyers are still buying, mostly jumbos and mediums. Reds are tight. There are a few orders for colossals.” He continued, “Back to the market, it is holding firm and has been. Buyers are out there trying to talk it down, but it’s not going anywhere. It’s got a good foundation, strong and firm, no matter what they are saying.” Rick added, “Quality has been good. We are selling out of Idaho, Oregon, Utah, Michigan, and Colorado, and we’ve had good quality.” But, he said, “Now, on transportation, you better plan on two to five days to get a truck, and you better get your checkbook out, because freight is crazy expensive, and I don’t see a way it’s ever going back.”
Utah/Colorado Western Slope:
Don Ed Holmes with The Onion House in Weslaco, TX, said on Dec. 8 his Utah and Colorado deals are still going, with Utah continuing to ship all three colors. Colorado is shipping only yellows, he noted, saying Colorado will go into early January, and Utah will ship through the month of January.
Colorado Western Slope:
David DeBerry with Southwest Onion Growers in McAllen, TX, said on Dec. 8, “We are done in Colorado and will start in Mexico in four or five weeks.” David had said during the season that this year’s Colorado deal was one of the best in recent memory. Yields, sizing, and quality were good, demand was high and transportation was not a major issue for the shipper. “We had our best yields and our best prices ever, and we finished the earliest ever. It was a nice little triple,” he said.
Northern Colorado:
Robert Sakata with Sakata Farms in Brighton told us on Dec. 8 his operation will continue its local/regional deal through January. “We’re shipping just yellows now,” R.T. said. “Normally we’d be shipping some reds, but our red crop was short this year. And we’re usually finished with whites by now.” He summed up the 2021 season as “good,” saying, “We’re pleased with it. We have a lot to be thankful for, our good health included.” R.T. also said that for the most part, transportation has not been an issue this year. “We’re lucky because there are so many trucks coming into the Denver issue that there’s not a shortage.” About 2022, he said he expects the acreage to remain about the same, although he said there are a number of factors to be considered. “We are looking at costs and inputs and also the supply chain,” he said.
CROP
California Imperial Valley:
Our thanks to Megan Jacobsen with Gills Onions and Jose Cardona with Rio Farms for the visual update of the Brawley crop. The onion fields look great!
S. Texas/Tampico, MX:
Don Ed Holmes with The Onion House in Weslaco said on Dec. 8 the weather in both Texas and Mexico has included above-average temps, and he said, “It’s been fairly dry.” He added, “We will have sweets out of Mexico in mid-January and out of Texas in late March, about normal. They could be a shade later because size is at such a premium they will hold for big.”
David DeBerry with Southwest Onion Growers in McAllen said his Rio Grande Valley crop is coming along and will likely start shipping in late March or early April, “probably late March.” He also said the Tampico crop is doing well and will ship in four or five weeks.
New Zealand:
David Kana at New Zealand Onion Co. via Robert Bell with Western Onion in Camarillo, CA, wrote this week, “I hope Santa brings you all bags and bags full of NZ onions. May we all enjoy with our friends and family and to he** with COVID!!!! We live another day.” David also said, “You can see that our crops are being irrigated, as since the last email newsletter we haven’t had a decent rain. Early Long Keeper onions are bulbing, and another three weeks we will be dropping them.
Early Reds are just starting to bulb. There’s no rain to speak of in the near forecast, so busy time for irrigators. Temperatures around 23C and the wind helping to dry things out.”
