Let's get this year started.

Let me start by wishing everyone a very Happy New Year. I hope this year brings you closer to whatever it is you hold close to your heart. If it's produce then you are for sure at the right place. Produce so far this year is moving at a quick pace. All markets are loading heavy with all items...the question is do they need it or are they just hedging waiting for some business to pickup? East coast seems a litlle quite so far. Lets break it down:

POTATOES-
>REDS - are moving briskly from ND, MN, & WA. Prices are drifting up and with the frost in FL there now is a question mark on what new crop yields and start date will be. Rumor is that the frost will mainly impact the availability in mid FL season and not the starting and ending fields.
>YELLOWS- steady as she goes. There seems to be a perfect balance in supply and demand on these. Prices and availability are steady.
>RUSSETS- HOT! Tight supplies and strong demand has this market feeling strong. Buyers can get what they need but may have need to stay booked ahead and be willing to see slight increases in price along the way. Will this change come the end of January? What is your thought?

SWEET POTATOES - Party is over..back to business..nothing more to say.

ONIONS-
>REDS - mainly shipping from WA, ID and availability is mixed, Washington shippers to have plenty and ID shippers have few. Prices are spread about $2.00 per 25# between shippers.
>YELLOWS- plenty of supply in WA, ID and CO is ending soon. Small ones are still shipping from Canada, NY, WI & MI in plenty.
>WHITES - market jumped a little on whites in the last 2 weeks and then settled down a bit. WA,ID,NV are all shipping with Mexican whites starting now.
>SWEETS - name your flavor. There is still a good supply of of shore sweets available with the Mexican sweets starting. And lets not forget about WA sweets along the way which are looking real nice.

ORGANICS - good supply available on potatos and onions in organics with quality still looking good.

Hope this helps...let us know what we can do to make you new year better than the last.

Freedom Kongvold
Philip G Ball CO
freedomk@epix.net