Kiwi supplies are status quo for the moment.“Right now, California still has great supplies of 40 series fruit,” says Chris Kragie with Western Fresh Marketing in Madera, Ca. “There’s still readily available Greek and Italian fruit but they are in shorter supplies.”
Kragie notes that Chilean kiwis have also begun to arrive and that season runs until the California season begins again in mid to late-September. “Chilean kiwis are two weeks later this year,” he says. “It’s just the growing conditions along with other factors. At this time last year, there were more standard growing conditions so more chill hours and not as much stress on the vines to push the fruit earlier.”
Good demand
Meanwhile demand is solid for kiwis right now and will likely stay that way until the first week in June. “That’s when school start to close down and the market loses between 25-40 per cent of its market share,” says Kragie. “Schools are pretty big in the kiwi business. But it picks up again in late August.” The availability of the 40 series says Kragie has created a depressed price on that size. “That market is between $9-$12,” he says, adding that the Greek and Italian fruit are in shorter supply and experiencing a better market. “On 39s to 23s right now the market is holding pretty much $17-$26,” he notes. Meanwhile the Chileans will fall in line with the Greek and Italian supplies and could go for as much as $1 more. “So I’ve got size 39s to 23s going for $18-$27,” says Kragie.
Looking ahead, Kragie anticipates an increase in volume and readily available supplies over the next 10-12 days.
For more information:
Chris Kragie
Western Fresh Marketing
Tel: +1 (559) 662-0301
chris@westernfreshmarketing.com
www.westernfreshmarketing.com