ORGANIC MARKET NEWS SEPTEMBER 3 - SEPTEMBER 10, 2021 NEW CROP ORGANIC POTATOES & SWEETS The 2021 harvests of Organic Sweet Potato started out a bit slower this season but are now ramping up to full blast and the race to get the crop out of the ground before the cold winter weather sets in is on! AV Thomas (Natural Beauty brand) expects good quality products as the dry conditions in California have been favorable for controlled production rates with precision irrigation via drip systems. Organic Sweet Po- tatoes are expected to be abundant for fall/winter promotions on bulk #1 size and mini microwave packs. RED: Transition to new crop has already occurred for JAPANESE: New crop has been tender and get- Garnet/Diane varieties. Quality has been excellent! ting Oriental/Murasaki varieties to size up has been somewhat of a challenge. Skinning reduced ORANGE: A smooth transition is anticipated to new during late August as the crop has had additional crop Jewel/Covington/Beauregard around mid-Sep- time to ground cure, however packing by hand is tember with zero interruption in availability. required. The skinning will be minimized as the season progresses. WHITE: Storage crop has been good and there will be zero interruption in availability on Hannah STOKES PURPLE: Storage crop medium size finishing Sweet/O’Henry/Bonita. up soon—new crop is slated to begin around the mid- dle of September. New crop Organic Russet Potatoes are in season and quality is very nice from growers in Washington. Large counts continue to be more limited than smaller sizes product that is suitable for bagging. Organic Red Potato bags are more plentiful this week, but most growers in Washington are struggling with their Organic Red Potato crop. NOTE: Organic Red A-size Potatoes will be more limited for September. Organic Gold Potatoes from Washington, on the other hand, are in very nice supply and quality. Out of California, Organic Baby Potatoes from Tasteful Selections are in peak season on all colors. OG APPLES & PEARS OG TROPICALS OG MELONS The Pacific Northwest new crop Organic Apples We’ll be offering a new Organic Papaya variety Organic Mini Watermelons are beginning to firm and Pears transition is underway with storage for September called Organic Royal Star Papa- up out of California as harvests begin to finish up crop packing winding down and a full transition yas. This variety has the flavor of popular Hawai- for the season. New plantings will start in Septem- ian papayas, only it’s bigger in size, similar to a to packing fresh crop varieties like Organic Gala Maradol. Sizing will range from 9-12ct per box ber but there will be a gap in production as we and Honeycrisp Apples (bulk and bagged), as and will be sold as a 24lb net weight box! transition areas. Quality has been excellent. well as Organic Bartlett and Starkrimson (Red) Pears (bulk). NOTE: Organic Formosa Papayas will gap for Organic Watermelons continue in season for the most of September from our partner HLB in Mexico. beginning of September from PA and Ohio but Due the first week of September is Stemilt’s pro- Organic Mangos have been affected by rains will be slowing down very quickly. prietary Organic SweeTango Apple. and this could really impact pricing in the final few weeks of the Mexico season. We continue to ALERT! Organic Cantaloupes are in extremely By the end of September, we expect to be in excel- offer both 8 and 9ct Non-Hot Water Treated fruit short supply as we head into Labor Day. Growers lent supplies of new crop Organic Gold Delicious, for the beginning of September. NOTE: Ecuador in California are in a gap, and they’re not plan- fruit is not expected to until October so the month Red Delicious, Fuji, and Granny Smith Apples, as of September could be very tricky. ning on harvesting again until the second week of well as Organic Anjou and Bosc Pears. September. Organic Magenta Dragon Fruit, Kiwano Mel- ons, and Passion Fruit have started in California Organic Honeydew from California have nice and limited volumes will be in stock following La- quality and are in better supply than cantaloupes. bor Day. SEPTEMBER 3, 2021 - SEPTEMBER 10, 2021 | MARKET NEWS 36 21 | FOUR SEASONS PRODUCE OG CABBAGE OG CUCUMBERS OG EGGPLANT & GREEN PEPPERS Organic Red and Green Cabbage continues to NOTE: Organic Cucumber supplies have dropped Organic Eggplant and Green Peppers from Lady see steady supplies with excellent quality from for the beginning of September from Lady Moon Moon Farms in PA continue with superb quality. New York. In addition, supplies from Lancaster, PA Farms in PA and other local supplies due to the Promote local Organic Eggplant and Green Pep- will begin harvests in late September. rain from Hurricane Ida. Supplies are expected to pers during the first week of September. end in early September. Organic Savoy Cabbage will be available from NOTE: The heavy rains from Hurricane Ida may Vermont. Organic Napa Cabbage will have lim- Product in the Carolinas and Georgia have begun affect supplies in early September and finish the ited availability to begin September because of but are very limited and expensive. Mexican sup- quality from California and limited availability plies are also available in a limited fashion. season early. from Vermont. OG SQUASH OG HASS AVOCADOS OG LETTUCE NOTE: Local Organic Zucchini has experienced ALERT! Rain has been the big story in Mexico NOTE: Organic Lettuces from California continues a significant drop in volume, and the rains from with heavy rains preventing Organic Hass Avo- to be a struggle as we enter September. Many Hurricane Ida are likely to draw the season to a cados from being picked. This has made an al- suppliers are experiencing light supplies or gap- ping completely due to heat and other quality de- close in early September. Fortunately, Lady Moon ready tight market worse. fects. Conditions are expected to remain limited Farms’ Florida Organic Zucchini is expected to until mid to late September. Quebec product will begin harvesting in the second week of Septem- There are virtually no 48ct or larger fruit. 60ct be a steady supplemental product in September. ber, while the Carolinas and Georgia supplies have been trickling across the border, keeping have begun in a limited fashion. people in supply. Mexico’s Aventajada crop will NOTE: Organic Romaine Hearts from California are also suffering, causing pricing to rise. Supplies are ex- not start until around the middle of September, pected to be more limited as September continues. Organic Yellow Squash are back in stock from so this will be a difficult product until October. the Carolinas and Georgia in early September NOTE: Organic Iceberg Lettuce from Quebec after many local vendors were without supplies Peru and California are pretty much done for will be gapping in supplies for the first week of for late August. the season. September. Supplies from California will be lim- ited and expensive. OG GRAPES OG ASPARAGUS OG PEPPERS California Organic Grapes are arriving with ex- Organic Asparagus prices will be rising for the Organic Red, Orange, and Yellow Bell Peppers ceptional quality. This is the organic fruit item to beginning of September as supplies have slowed from Canada continue to see excellent supplies, highlight most prominently in September while the way down. Mexico is in a transition period as Baja while Holland has begun harvesting again. Pricing crop is at its best! is expected to start new fields in mid-September. is elevated slightly from August but remains pro- Quality has been good. motable in September, while quality is outstanding. SEPTEMBER 3, 2021 - SEPTEMBER 10, 2021 | MARKET NEWS 36 21 | FOUR SEASONS PRODUCE OG GREENS OG BRUSSELS SPROUTS OG POMEGRANATES Local fall crop Organic Greens from Lady Moon Organic Brussels Sprouts from Mexico continue Organic Pomegranates from California will be in Farms in PA will get started around 9/9! Organic to see study supplies as September begins. Expect stock around 9/7! We will offer a 30-36ct box of Kales, Collards, and Dandelion Greens will be- supplies to continue to improve, as well as pricing, fruit to start and expand to some larger sizing as gin the first, followed by Organic Parsley. Expect volumes to grow as the month continues. with promotional opportunities to arise. they become available. OG BROCCOLI & CAULIFLOWER OG TOMATOES OG BERRIES NOTE: Organic Broccoli from California is in flux. Local Organic Snacking (Cherry, Rainbow Cher- Organic Blackberries are in steady supply for the Pricing is on the rise, and due to heat and bug ry, and Grape) Tomatoes continue to be avail- beginning of September but expect much shorter pressure, quality issues are present with less vol- able from Lady Moon Farms in PA. Quality has supplies heading towards the middle of the month been excellent. ume available. Early to mid-September will be a as we begin to transition from California to Mexico. difficult time for Broccoli. Organic Heirloom Tomatoes from local growers, like Lady Moon Farms, will still be around for the ALERT! Organic Blueberries continue to be ex- NOTE: Organic Broccoli Crowns have already beginning of September with good quality. Sup- tremely tight as California, Washington, and Oregon seen pricing rise and less availability. Expect this plies will begin to slow down during September as ramp down and Mexico and Peru will start to pick up the peak season is ending. to continue for early September. in late September, markets are currently very strong Organic Vine Ripe Tomatoes grown in PA from but should level off as we move into October. NOTE: Organic Broccoli Rabe is also seeing King Family Farms continue in season for the be- struggles with quality and availability.