WA:
Jason Walker, vice president of sales at Bybee Produce in Prosser, WA, said the market is very strong this week and that prices are trending higher for all colors and sizes. “Demand is very good, and it’s projected that prices should stay steady or even increase over the next couple of weeks,” he said. “Bybee Produce is right on track with shipments and volume, and the company is expected to be shipping through the end of April or possible into the first part of May.”
Jason also noted that with the demand and market so strong domestically, exports have tapered off.
NV:
Jessica Peri of Peri and Sons in Yerington, NV, said the Nevada facility will continue to ship storage yellow, white and red onions into March. “We’ve had really good quality,” Jessica told us. She noted that that Nevada yields in 2015 were down from the historical average, due largely to the summer heat. “But we have been very fortunate to have excellent quality.” She said market conditions continued to be good, with the red market maintaining its strength and whites “going up substantially over the last two weeks.” The yellow market was also good, she said.
Planting of 2016 Nevada onions will begin in March, and Jessica said Peri and Sons will start shipping from its El Centro facility in the Imperial Valley the latter part of April. The Firebaugh operation in the Central Valley will begin shipping in early June.
Utah:
Don Ed Holmes of Onion House in Weslaco, TX, said there are about another three weeks remaining in the Utah deal. “I think it will go into the second or third week of February,” he said, adding that Colorado Western Slope has cleaned up. “We finished in Colorado last Friday, and I believe the Slope is done now,” Don Ed told OnionBusiness.com
N. Colorado:
Ryan Fagerberg at Fagerberg Produce in Eaton, CO, told us that “sales continue to be strong in the month of January.” He added that “the increase in price seems to be leveling off a bit on yellows, yet overall, still slowly rising.” Ryan also said he is “continuing to quote steady price increases on whites and reds. We are anticipating finishing Colorado onions early to mid-March.”
IEO:
At Central Produce in Payette, ID, Dan Phillips reported that the market has moved up over the last couple of weeks. “Everything seems to be moving in the right direction,” Dan told us. “Right now we are focusing on managing our inventory. The demand on whites has gone through the roof.” He said that Central has plans to ship through the middle of March.
In Parma, ID, Kent Sutherland at JC Watson Packing Co. said the overall market is “very good.” Kent said, “Reds and whites seem to be more active than yellows this week, due to short supplies coming out of Mexico.” JC Watson Packing Co. will be shipping through the end of April with good supplies and will potentially extend shipping through the middle of May, he said.
Texas Crop Update:
Temps in the Rio Grande Valley have been on the cooler side, but Don Ed Holmes of Onion House in Weslaco said the crop looks very good. “The onions are still fairly dormant, but it typically starts warming up around now, and when it does, it will be off to the races with the crop. If it goes well, the onions will be ready to ship the first week of April.”
