market reports

If anybody forgot, last year at this time Chicago was in the middle of one of the worst winter blizzards in history. This year things have been a lot different. We can say we have scored most of the winter so far, and its already February. What I am concerned about is pay back from Mother Nature. You know of course she is going to get even at some point and it’s going to be some week we least expect it. The weather guys will say we have a 30% chance of snow and we will get hit with 10+ inches of snow and 40+ mph winds at at the same time. Of course there will be dozens of reasons why we missed the right forecast but in the end Mother Nature will have the last laugh, and I’ll bet the farm. Speaking of bets, how about that nut job betting 5 million dollars on the Super Bowl! Obviously he has way too much money, and if he would like a charity to donate to Testa Produce could qualify for that tomorrow. I just hope for a close game; and hope that the numbers I picked, at least one quarter, I win something.

The good news for next week is the price of Zucchini and Yellow Squash is coming down and the bad news is the price of Melons is going up, but not for long. Beans are coming down also, Cucs are also down, Broc is down, Cauliflower is down, Celery is going down, Brussel Sprouts are down, and Carrots are down. Now for Peppers: the bottom fell out of Peppers, all Peppers; the market dropped so fast on Peppers nobody had a chance to say goodbye to high prices. Green Cabbage and Red Cabbage are steady and Spinach is steady on all products: Cello, loose, and Salad Spinach.

Tomatillos are higher and are going to stay there for a while. Jalapenos are steady, Sugar Snaps are steady, and Pea Pods are steady. Asparagus took a sharp turn downward; prices fell very quickly which is not good for growers. When prices fall or rise quickly, growers have a tendency to panic and either hold back or dump product, which causes all kinds of problems with prices. You don’t know whether to buy or wait and that indecision can cause a loss on product your selling because you didn’t buy when it was cheap. Markets are turning around so fast you cannot keep up with how quickly the prices can change. This is the major reason why sometimes contracts are good but the same fast changing markets can kill a contract.

Artichokes are very expensive and all sizes are affected. Mesclun is steady, Head Lettuce is down, Romaine is steady, Leaf Lettuce is higher, Boston Lettuce is steady, Romaine Hearts are steady, and Eggplant is down. Collard, Mustard, and Turnip Greens are all steady but Kale is still high priced.

The Strawberry market is down next week on all Berries. Raspberries are still expensive, Blackberries are steady, and Blues are still down and a good deal. Clementines are steady and excellent for hand fruit. Apples and Pears are plentiful with lots of different varieties and sizes to choose from.

Navel Oranges are in full swing and flavor is excellent. Tangerines are also available. Grapefruit is terrific this time of year and don’t forget Grapefruit makes an excellent sorbet. Grapes are a little challenging because of all the different qualities and grades that are available. Lemons are steady and quality has been excellent. Limes are down on all sizes. We have Organic Valencia Oranges and several different Organic Citrus items; if you are interested, check out the weekly Organic list for product and size. Rhubarb has started back up again but it is pricey.

Watermelon Radishes are available and Sunchokes are in. Long Beans are still very high priced and Celery Root is still available. Mexican Papaya and Hawaiian Papaya are available. Plenty of specialty products are available; Check out our list and make sure you see the hot sheet- we have super cheap deals on selected products.

Don’t miss these hot new items that are just getting started:

Baby Romanesco

Red Fresno Chile

Baby Green Summer Squash

Baby Yellow Sunburst Squash

Baby Green Zucchini Squash

French Beans (Haricots Verts)

Fresh Garbanzo Beans

Babaco

White Asparagus

Hot House Rhubarb

Heirloom Tomatoes

Golden Grape and Mixed Medley Tomatoes

Pomegranates

Maui Onions - (2 day notice)

Sharon Persimmons

Sapote

20^th Century Japanese Pears

Red Cactus Pears

Baby Brussel Sprouts (Green, Purple, and mixed) – (2 day notice)

Meyer Lemons

Seedless Lemons

Cara Cara Oranges

Pummelo

Cocktail Grapefruit

Red Currants – (2 day notice)

Green Gooseberries

Cherimoya

Baby Apples: Red Delicious, Gala, Fuji and Granny Smith

Guava

Sunchokes

Call us today to place your order.