Northern CO:
Ryan Fagerberg at Fagerberg Produce in Eaton said his company is cleaning up the 2015 crop. “Due to high January/February demand, we will be done running Colorado onions this week,” Ryan told OnionBusiness.com. He added, “That is about 10 days earlier than normal.”
Mexico:
At Tex-Mex Sales in Weslaco, TX, Marvin Davis reported that the “market has been up and down for Mexican onions,” but he added, “When I talk with others in the produce industry, the market fluctuations for Mexican onions is really no different than what the industry as a whole is experiencing right now.” Marvin said there doesn’t seem to be any particular demand increase for a certain size or color, and the quality crossing the border is very good. Tex-Mex Sales’ Mexican deal could peak in three weeks, he said.
Don Ed Holmes of Onion House in Weslaco said his company is at about the halfway mark in its Mexican deal, and he said volume has picked up since shipments started in January. “The weather has been dry in Mexico, and the quality is outstanding and size beautiful,” Don Ed said of onions coming into the U.S.
IEO:
Nick Beahm at Eagle Eye Produce in Idaho Falls told OnionBusiness.com that demand this week “is fairly consistent with how it’s been for the last several weeks, which is light.” He added that market reports for jumbo yellows at $8.50 seems to be accurate, and he said the current market for whites and reds is strong than for yellows. Nick anticipates finishing up with Fiesta Farms in Nyssa, OR, in four to six weeks, around the first full week in April.
Bill Trask at Baker Packing in Ontario, OR, said that the market is “somewhat unsettled right now,” nothing that “There are a number of IEO shippers that are trying to get out, which means there could be some discounting out there so they can finish.” Bill said the market for reds is unsettled, “with $14-16 on jumbo reds, $12-13 on medium reds. Whites are holding at $21 on jumbos and $19 on mediums. The yellow market is steady at $11 on supers, $10 on colossal yellows, $8.50-9.50 with a solid $9 on jumbos and mediums at $8.50-$9.” Baker is looking to finish its IEO onions about the middle of April, then moving to its Arizona operation the first part of May for six weeks with Mexican onions. At the first part of June Baker will start shipping out of Huron, CA, Bill said
