Prices for strawberry imports coming from Mexico were relatively strong up until recently, but a mini-surge in supply brought prices down. The market is steady now, but weather in Baja California could constrict imports and kick prices back up.
“There wasn't much supply available because of some rain in Baja that hurt us early in the season,” noted Chris Tagami of Fresh Pac International in Oceanside, California. “There was not a lot out there, so it was a great market.” He saw prices as high as $20.00 per flat, though prices are now hovering in the $8.00 to $10.00 range. Tagami expects current prices to stick around for a while, or at least until the Easter demand really kicks in.
“We have not received any numbers for Easter yet, but there will definitely be increased demand with the chain stores,” said Tagami. “There's also some more rain that could affect the berries. If we get more than an inch of rain, it will impact production. So, in the next few weeks, I could see prices getting up to $14.00 per flat.”
