Up until recently, the supply of field cucumbers has been exceeding the demand. "We have had very good weather so the growing conditions have been good," says Jim Myrick of Edward L. Myrick Produce.
On field cucumber supply, the end of the Honduran season is approaching and the country is finishing its season slightly earlier than normal, possibly due to the softer cucumber market. Mexico is also shipping cucumbers at slightly heavier than normal volumes. Meanwhile, the Florida season is beginning with full production coming on in about 10 days.
As for demand for field cucumbers, it has been softer, which could possibly be attributed partly to industry recalls on cucumbers that have happened in the past year.
Recent soft market
That's left a softer field cucumber market for almost three months now. "That's from a bit of both an oversupply and a lack of demand," he says, who adds that demand is likely to pick up soon and pricing may also strengthen in the next few weeks. This week pricing on Mexican product has also gone up. "I think we'll have a normal spring. I don't think there will be a push to take more product but just normal."
Looking ahead, the domestic season of cucumbers looks good at this point. "In Florida, we've had perfect weather to grow crops this year so I would suspect that we have a full field cucumber crop from Florida," says Myrick. Georgia will follow Florida with its production, likely around May 1st.
For more information:
Jim Myrick
Edward L. Myrick Produce
Tel: +1 (954) 946-4991
http://www.myrickproduce.com/