Week of 8/5/08 to 8/12/08

PRIMO'S PICK OF THE WEEK !!!
This week Primo is featuring Heirloom Rainbow Carrots. A beautiful mix of colored carrots packed in a 25 pound bag. A perfect solution on how to “brighten up” a plate presentation. Product is in stock now, call your customer service representative and order today!

RECIPE OF THE WEEK
Rainbow Carrots with Walnut Oil and Toasted Cumin Seeds
1 gallon water
1 tablespoon whole cumin seeds
32 rainbow baby carrots, peeled, with 1-inch of the tops left on
1/8 cup walnut oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a large pot, bring the water to a boil.
While the water is coming to a boil, place the whole cumin seeds in a small pan over medium heat. Cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the carrots to the boiling water. Cook until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes.
Remove the carrots from the water and place them in a large serving dish. Add walnut oil and cumin seeds. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and toss to distribute seasonings. Serve.

FUN FACTS OF THE WEEK
Miscellaneous Carrot Trivia:
The Longest Carrot recorded in 2008 was 19 feet 2 inches.
Carrots were first grown as a medicine not a food.
Fuel for Cars? Scientists now believe that bio fuels will be the answer to our energy needs when the oil runs out. One such fuel, perhaps within 10 years, will be carrots - it would take approximately 6000 carrots to drive one mile.
The Spanish word for carrot is zanahoria, which also means nerd.
Wild rabbits do not eat carrots - you have been watching too much Bugs Bunny !
If cows eat too many carrots their milk tastes bitter.
All brides should be given carrots. It supposedly brings luck in the kitchen.

MARKET OVERVIEW


ICEBERG LETTUCE
Supplies have become tighter due to the holiday. Pricing is stronger. Many growers chose not to harvest over the weekend in most of the growing regions. Most suppliers have caught up with their excess inventories and this has made the market stronger. There continues to be some reports of lightweight lettuce. This is mostly a result of most shippers trimming the outer leaves back enough to take away the tip and fringe burn, and leaving those leaves in the field. The color and texture continues to be strong. Colorado is struggling with poor yields due to poor weather, and Colorado will finish its production season next week. We could see short supply in two weeks.

ROMAINE AND LEAF LETTUCE
California shippers are finding that their supplies have much improved from last week, which has paved the way for some market reductions. Pricing has started to adjust to lower levels. There continues to be some issues on quality. These issues include reports of tip burn, mildew, fringe burn, and internal burn as well. Michigan continues to struggle with poor quality in the fields.

BROCCOLI AND CAULIFLOWER
Quality and availability remain steady on the West Coast. Carrots are sizing up nicely and the market is steady. Harvest is currently coming out of the Bakersfield area. Canada has supplies available, and quality reports look to be good. Michigan is also in good supply and quality now.

CARROTS
Quality and availability remain steady on the West Coast. Carrots are sizing up nicely and the market is steady. Harvest is currently coming out of the Bakersfield area. Canada has supplies available, and quality reports look to be good. Michigan is also in good supply and quality now.

CELERY
With Michigan and California both in production supplies should continue to be good throughout the week. Demand for the large sizes continues to be low. The smaller sizes are slightly more active than the larger sizes. This market is currently steady and appears to be the pattern for the week. Good weights are the reports on this commodity.

BERRIES
Strawberries:
Strawberry production this week is a little lighter then previous weeks due to a current warming trend that has affected production. The problems we are encountering are soft, bruised and occasionally leaky berries with short shelf life. This questionable product is mainly in Watsonville / Salinas growing areas. We can expect to see more of the same until new crop begins in Oxnard about mid September.

Raspberries:
Raspberry production is starting to show signs of strength with most shippers stating that quality and quantities are improving into better numbers.

Blackberries:
Pacific North West has is battling rain, and local crops are experiencing warmer temps which in turn are compromising quality and availability. Blackberry production continues low and will continue to do so until we see new crop. Quality is fair.

Blueberries:
Blueberries shipped from MI have switched over to 4.4oz and are now packing storage fruit. They will ship storage fruit form MI until late Sept / early Oct. then shifting to product from Argentina loading out of Miami. Production in the northwest has slowed slightly from rain we can expect to see slightly higher fobs.

POTATOES
Idaho now has very little storage product left on hand, main shippers are starting up this week with new crop Norkotahs and it will be a slow go as they get into the fields and start running and see what they have. Good volume expected by the 2nd or 3rd week of September until then product will be limited. Availability of #2 potatoes will be very limited until we get into the Burbank crop. Washington Norkotahs have increased availability and prices are coming off as more supplies become available. Colorado has also started with new crop Norkotahs. Product is limited and pricing is still strong. Wisconsin shippers have started in a light way with limited availability. Nevada is all but done for the season. New crop is scheduled to start September 8. Northern California varietal potatoes are going strong with all colors available. Wisconsin, Minnesota and Colorado colored potatoes are going with reds. There is limited availability on whites and golds.

ONIONS
White onions are very limited in all areas with the market rising quickly mixer volume only available. California is finishing up with limited supplies this week. Colorado, Washington, and Idaho / Oregon supplies are building each week. Sizing is to jumbos as Colossal and Supers are in limited supplies.

APPLES & PEARS
WA FOB’s continue to be mostly steady at relatively high levels. The only notable exception is a softening in Galas due to improved volume out of CA and the WA deal ramping up; pricing is very attractive compared to small Red Delicious. WA Ginger Gold volume is increasing. Imported Granny Smith are just about totally dried up; demand for CA fruit is maintaining firm, high FOB’s.
Red Delicious should start up next week and we will not gap. Fuji will be starting next week as well.
CA Bartlett production continues on, quality is very good, and the WA Bartlett deal continues to ramp up with deals to be made on smaller-sized fruit. Next week we will see the start up of WA Anjou, Bosc, Comice, Seckel, and Red Anjou.

BANANAS
Pricing is mostly steady. Organic supplies are a little tighter. Quality is good to very good with no reported issues at this time.

AVOCADOS
CA production continues to wind down and some shippers will wrap up by the end of this week. Demand is good and markets are mostly steady but there are slightly weaker undertones as Mexican and Chilean volumes increase. Imported fruit is more firm and green with less oil; ripening is mostly even and quality is good.

ASPARAGUS
Markets are steady and demand has weakened. Mexican growing areas have recently received rain, but current availability and quality have not been affected. Peru currently has some good volume available with good quality as well.

CITRUS
WEST
Valencia markets are active and stronger, especially on 88’s and smaller due to increased back-to-school demand. Quality remains fair; brix and juice content continue to be very good. We should see a bump shortly in available volume as some packing houses start back up. As a sidenote, harvesting should begin within the next three weeks on FL’s Orange crop; recent storm systems produced only very minor damage—expect fruit to size larger this year.
Lemon markets are adjusting downwards due to plentiful import supplies out of Mexico and Chile combined, District Two fruit still available, and the start of District Three harvests. Domestic quality continues to range from fair to good, Mexican is variable, and Chilean is currently the best. Mexican and Chilean fruit is available in TX and on the east coast where freight savings can be significant.
Lime markets have stabilized. Supplies are lighter due to rain in Mexico and yellowing is an issue.

GRAPES
Markets are stronger on Red Seedless due to solid demand and Flame supplies drying up. Brix levels are high, exterior finish and condition are very good, and eating quality is excellent. Crimson volumes are on the increase but color is currently not as strong as Flames. Markets are softer on Green Seedless due to plentiful supplies even with the decline of the Princess variety. Thompson color, brix levels, and overall quality are all very good. Berry sizing this season continues to skew on the large side but is also determining price breaks.

MELONS
Cantaloupe markets are fairly steady as demand has weakened. Expect smaller-sized fruit to strengthen shortly once we fully transition to the Durango variety that skews larger. Overall quality is very good to excellent.
Honeydew prices are steady overall. Pricing is generally low due to plentiful volume. Some shippers have older product while others are constantly turning their floor inventories so be aware of any extraordinary deals that may correlate to old product.
Watermelon supplies remain good, but on the decline, out of CA. Volume from regional deals is still significant and overall quality continues to be generally good.

CUCUMBERS
Eastern
There are no significant market changes this week—demand remains fair at best, product is in good supply from multiple areas, pricing is steady, and quality is good. FOB’s may strengthen next week.
Western
Markets are slightly up due to decreased supplies caused by field transitions in Baja. The deal out of western WA should last another couple of weeks. Some new fall acreage should break next week out of the Central Valley. Look for supplies to be on the tight side another couple of weeks.

PEPPERS
GREEN BELL PEPPERS:
Eastern
Markets are slightly firmer from last week’s bottomed-out levels. Overall supplies are decent and quality is good to very good. We expect next week’s markets to be fairly steady at higher levels.
Western
FOB’s are steady due to plentiful supplies of very good quality product. There are deals to be made on all sizes. Pricing has bottomed out and may go up beginning next week. We do not expect any significant supply issues through the remainder of the month.

RED BELL PEPPERS:
Western
Markets have dropped significantly due to plentiful supplies—CA production is peaking out of multiple growing areas. Quality is very good with dark red color and thick walls. We expect markets to remain fairly steady for the next couple of weeks.

SQUASH
Eastern
FOB’s this week are steady on both Yellow and Zuke. However, Yellow markets are in a stronger position and may firm by the beginning of next week. Plentiful Zuke supplies will help keep these markets on the weak side. Quality on both is ranging from fair to very good.
Western
Yellow markets have firmed due to limited supplies of good quality product with wind scarring a significant issue. Zucchini supplies are plentiful out of multiple areas and quality is generally good to very good with no significant changes expected for the next couple of weeks. Mexican supplies will start up next month.

TOMATOES
Even with all the weather last week from the Fay system and most recently from the Gustav system, FOB’s are largely stable this week due to plentiful supplies and still-sluggish demand.
We may begin to see pricing move up due to weather issues and because markets are so low that pricing has just about nowhere to go but up. Romas did show a little strength this week but Cherries actually eased down a bit.
Western FOB’s remain at bottomed-out levels. Product is plentiful and quality is excellent.

SPECIALTY PRODUCE
Pineapple supplies remain tight and pricing is stronger on 7’s and 8’s. There are some deals on larger-sized 5’s. Quality is good to very good.