Lemon supplies from the Central Valley are winding down, and though there will still be production in the coastal areas, production will decrease as we head into summer. With less fruit, prices are expected to climb until imports arrive.
“Supplies of lemons are coming from District 1, which is the San Joaquin Valley, and District 2, which is off the coast,” noted Tom Salisbury with The Chuck Olsen Company. “District 1 is going to finish in another two to three weeks – some guys are dropping off now. District 2 will probably pick into summer – maybe June.”
Though supplies have been decent on most sizes, larger sizes have been more prevalent. On April 7, prices for a carton of 1st Grade 75s were between $28.80 and $36.05 and prices for a carton of 165s were between $24.80 and $31.05. Those prices will only increase as the season wears on, noted Salisbury.
“Prices have been pretty strong, and now that they start to climb they will keep going,” he explained. “Prices typically keep going up until you get supplies from Chile and Mexico, which is around August. That's when you start to see a drop in the market. At that point, the market will depend on what imports are brought in.”
