COACHELLA VALLEY, CA - As the transition out of Mexico and into Coachella Valley, California, continues, growers are experiencing a tightening market across categories. One such category is bell peppers, and I spoke with Katy Johnson of Prime Time to learn a bit more.

“Since we are in a transition phase, moving from one growing region to another, you tend to see the market tightening a bit as volume decreases in Mexico and gradually increases in the United States,” the Purchasing and Marketing Manager told me. “In the Coachella Valley, the green bell pepper harvest has already begun for some shippers, and domestic volume will continue to increase in the coming weeks. Red and yellow peppers will follow suit, starting in mid-May and running through June.”

With upcoming promotional opportunities such as Memorial Day and the Fourth of July, these are optimal windows of production.

Katy assured me that the quality looks very good for bells, due to consistent warm weather in the early spring.

“Weather has been a factor for shippers in other parts of the country recently, so the start of the Coachella season looks to be very good. Prices are strong, especially on green bell peppers,” she noted. “We just need to get through the humps and bumps of the next couple of weeks, and it will be smooth sailing throughout the summer and fall.”

We’ll continue to keep you in the loop on the latest market updates, so stay with us here at AndNowUKnow.

Prime Time