Strawberry supplies continue struggle with weather issues

Markon Cooperative BB #:123315 released this strawberry update November 9, 2026:

California strawberry supplies are facing an historically severe disruption as all growing regions continue to struggle with the impacts of recent rain.

Availability is expected to remain critically constrained through the middle of next week, with very limited ability to recover or cover shortfalls in the near term. Please prepare for significant shortages of up to 50% on all orders shipping today through mid-next week. Supply conditions will be extremely challenging, and substantial cuts should be anticipated during this period.

California

• Rain-related disruptions from two weeks ago continue to limit availability over the next 7-10 days, creating a demand-exceeds-supply market for at least the next two weeks
• Growers will be culling water-damaged fruit, reducing yields, creating estimated losses reaching 50-60% of the crop
• Maintaining the cold chain will be critical to preserving shelf life; Markon recommends ordering for quick turns
• Quality concerns include soft skin, decay, white shoulders, and pin rot
• Expect strong demand and elevated pricing to persist

Mexico

• Harvesting remains light
• Growers are harvesting ahead to help fill the void out of California
• Available volume remains insufficient to offset California’s weather-related shortages
• Historically Mexican production isn’t in full swing until after the Thanksgiving holiday
• Imports will provide some relief but are not expected to significantly improve overall market availability until after the Thanksgiving holiday

Florida

• Growers are still evaluating the impact of last week’s storm
• Harvesting is not expected until early to mid-December

Please contact your Markon Account Manager for more information.