Supply Chain Support Center

Concerns over the Supply Chain? We’ve got your back!

We’ve teamed up with our family of brands to bring you our Supply Chain Support Center. This center will be the best place for you every week to stay up to date on all things supply chain!

Market Alerts & Produce Updates

For the Week of November 14, 2022

The following updates and alerts were culled in collaboration with our growing family of brands. Scroll through both lists to help prepare for upcoming obstacles and opportunities.

Market Alerts

Grains
The Black Sea Grain Initiative may be terminated by Russia, and low diesel fuel stockpiles all increased pressure on soybean oil. Prices for palm oil increased as well, but more so because Malaysian demand increased. With Canada’s harvest over, canola is essentially flat.
Dairy
The previous several days have seen a substantial decline in butter markets; fall orders appear to be finished. While a new instance of AI is being reported, shell egg sales are still rising. Cheese sales are declining as cheese manufacturing returns to milk.
Beef
Packers are still gathering animals, and they are intent on obtaining as many Choice and Select boxes as possible for the upcoming holiday season. Ribs keep going strong, but it’s hard to find light-weight products and packs of top quality. Round slices, chuck rolls, and strips all continue to be produced steadily.
Pork
Butts are seeing some modest market concessions, despite increased demand from retailers and exporters. With historic cold storage levels, the price of ribs is still declining, and suppliers keep building up their supplies. Because exports are preventing this market from declining, loin prices are also declining, though not as much as was anticipated. There is a good supply and a downward trend in belly size.
Poultry
The whole bird was up. Breasts had fallen. Tenders significantly decreased. Medium and jumbo wings were covered. Flat wings that were little. Boneless thigh flesh was greatly reduced. Leg meat without bones was on sale. Although it is wing season, there are still plenty of wings available. Prices are falling quickly and there are more tenders available. Breasts of every size are widely accessible, and costs are dropping. Prices for boneless thigh meat decreased once more this week. Boneless leg meat prices keep dropping. Cut ups and whole birds had a greater price.
Seafood
Due to conservation concerns, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced the closure of the Alaskan Red King crab season and the Alaskan snow crab season for 2022–2023. As processors find new labor sources, catfish production keeps becoming better. In Texas and Louisiana, landings of head-on shrimp for peeling have significantly decreased.

Produce Updates

Markets across many commodities continue to see volatility due to persistent weather issues, hurricanes, tropical storms, and growing region transitions. We will likely see volatile markets through the end of the year. As mentioned last week, vegetable production in the Salinas Valley growing region will be transitioning through most of November to Yuma, Arizona. Some shippers will be transitioning certain commodities as early as this week, while many commodities will transition over the next three weeks. Supplies continue to remain very light, especially iceberg, romaine, red leaf, and green leaf.
Arugula
Supply is average, with fair quality due to some of the weather-related issues. Expect unstable supplies and quality for the remainder of the Salinas season.
Asparagus
Mexican production continues to be low due to recent weather in the growing areas. Peruvian production has increased this week. This trend should continue through November. Markets are still very active with no change in volume from Mexico.
Bananas
Volume is lighter due to weather impacts, higher global demand, and lighter production. No quality issues.
Beans, Green
Extremely limited supply available out of South Georgia. There are a few beans out west, but markets remain very high and expected to be snug through the Thanksgiving Holiday.
Broccoli
Current supply continues to be light; market is considerably higher.
Cabbage, Red
Supplies are increasing, and quality is improving.
Carrots
Baby peeled, and food service items are in great supply. Current field sizing is small, so supply is limited on Cellos/Jumbos in California. Regionally Colorado, Michigan and MN are in good supply with Cellos and Jumbos.
Cauliflower
Supply is extremely short from the cooler weather, and the market has increased considerably. Expect light supplies to continue until the Yuma season gets started towards the end of November.
Celery
Supplies are moderate although we look for available supplies tight going forward with quality issues caused by the extreme hot weather. Market continues to be slightly stronger, and we anticipate market to continue escalating as we approach the holidays as demand increases and available supplies start to decrease.
Lemons
New Crop Lemons have begun in District 3 and District 1. Current supply is peaking on 115/140/165 with an even balance of Fancy & Choice, and some Standard Grade. Field and Packinghouse QC is seeing some wind scaring in the Choice/Standard grade. Fancy looks nice! Volume & Availability is light due to fruit readiness and more fruit will be available each week.
Mushrooms
Quality is good despite supply being lighter than expected. We continue to see lack of labor, shortages in component of growing such as peat moss and other inflationary pressures. We expect to see this continue to be a challenge until some of the growing costs can get under control of this particularly labor intensive and cost sensitive item.
Onions, Green
Supply is increasing, and quality is improving.
Peppers, Green
Supply is lighter this week and overall quality has been good out of South Georgia. We are starting new crop out of the desert and should see crossing through Nogales in 10 days and quality in the west is very nice.
Peppers, Red
Markets are holding strong as supply remains limited this week. We are scratching this week in the desert and quality is very nice.
Potatoes, Russet
The potato market has severely tightened up as growers are finished with harvest. Pricing took a swift increase over these last two weeks. This is a rather unprecedented time to see such a large increase. Like last year, growers are staring down record offers from processors (even higher than last season) and are in no rush to run their potatoes at the current pricing levels.
Squash, Yellow
Overall quality is very nice. Markets were mixed this week as supply tightened up crossing through Nogales and eased back in South Georgia.
Squash, Zucchini
Overall quality is very nice. Markets were mixed this week as supply tightened up crossing through Nogales and eased back in South Georgia.

Potatoes Market Alert

November 11, 2022 – The current potato crop in Idaho is anticipated to be at a record low level due to acreage reductions and non-optimal weather conditions during the growing season. Total planted acres in the U.S. are down for the 2022 season (LY 2021 = 943,000 | TY 2022 = 910,000).

Specific to the Idaho potato industry, acreage went from 315,000 to 290,000 acres (approximately an 8% reduction). Due to acreage reductions, the unseasonably cold weather during planting, and the abnormal heat during the growing season impacted yields; the 2022 potato crop will be very limited this season.

Comments or Questions?

Schedule a meeting to connect directly with a Supply Chain Expert from the Buyers Edge Team.

Supply Chain News and Insights

The Buyers Edge Platform has been busy putting together all of the insights you need around the strained supply chain. Sign up for one of our upcoming webinars, read some expert insight, or check out our collection of Market Report blogs below!