Major produce industry players have joined forces under a newly formed Produce Coalition for USMCA, with the organization stating it will advocate to protect the affordability of fruits and vegetables and defend tariff-free agricultural trade under the agreement. The coalition's formation comes as the USMCA review process heats up ahead of the July deadline, with significant uncertainty around the future of North American trade relationships.

This is a direct escalation from the broader ag industry lobbying push covered previously — this time, produce companies specifically are forming their own dedicated advocacy body. The stakes are enormous: the vast majority of imported fresh produce consumed in the U.S. flows through USMCA trade channels, and any disruption to tariff-free status would ripple through pricing across nearly every major commodity category.

Watch for announcements about which specific companies or grower organizations are members of this coalition, and how the group plans to engage with the formal USMCA review process. Buyers and category managers tracking summer pricing should pay close attention to any signals coming out of Washington over the next several weeks.

Mexico's APEAM, the industry association representing avocado producers, packers, and exporters, has issued a formal statement committing to meet projected U.S. supply volumes through the current season transition and throughout the 2026-2027 cycle. The organization says the industry remains on track to fulfill its supply commitments to the American market.

This statement lands at a critical moment. Mexican avocado supply has been severely disrupted this season — force majeure was declared by major shippers, prices spiked nearly 48% in two weeks, and growers were deliberately holding fruit back. The public commitment from APEAM is a direct attempt to reassure U.S. buyers and calm the market narrative heading into the new cycle.

Watch for whether actual shipment volumes and pricing through June and July align with the industry's reassurances. Given the volatility of the past several weeks, buyers managing avocado programs will want to see volume data back up the statement before adjusting forward purchasing strategies.

California's stone fruit season is running three to four weeks ahead of schedule, with multiple white nectarine varieties that are typically spread out now all packing simultaneously. The compressed timeline is creating unusual market conditions, with product coming in faster and earlier than normal supply chain planning would anticipate.

An early season like this creates real pressure for buyers and retailers — promotional windows shift, variety transitions happen faster, and the tail end of the season arrives sooner than expected. The overlap of multiple varieties at once can create short-term oversupply and pricing pressure on individual items while simultaneously shrinking the overall season length.

Category managers should revisit stone fruit promotional calendars now and flag the potential for a faster-than-expected transition to fall items. An early close to the California season could leave a supply gap if buyers haven't pre-arranged alternative sourcing.

Despite heavy freezes during the growing season, Georgia's Vidalia onion crop is coming through with strong quality and a high pack-out percentage. Troy Bland, CEO of Bland Farms, says supply will be strong enough to take care of retail and foodservice partners through most of September.

This is a welcome relief story in an otherwise difficult spring for alliums and many other fresh categories. A high-quality, abundant Vidalia crop means buyers can confidently promote the product through the summer without worrying about supply interruptions or quality fallout from the earlier freeze events.

For category managers, this is an opportunity to plan Vidalia onion features through the summer grilling season while supply and quality are both strong. Worth locking in promotional commitments now while the market is well-supplied.

Peru's blueberry industry is forecasting a 40% growth in exports for 2026, driven by expanding production capacity and strong global demand. However, the country's agricultural authorities have flagged that the estimate is provisional, warning that high weather volatility — specifically the emerging El Niño — has made it difficult to generate a reliable forecast.

Peru has become the dominant global source of blueberries during the fall and winter windows in North America, so any significant deviation from this projection would have real shelf consequences. A 40% volume jump could suppress prices during Peru's peak shipping months; a weather-driven shortfall could do the opposite, especially with North Carolina already dealing with a new pest problem.

This is a story worth revisiting as El Niño develops. Buyers with fall and winter blueberry programs tied to Peruvian supply should build some contingency into their volume commitments now rather than waiting for confirmed weather impacts.

The Panama Canal Authority has announced it will reduce the maximum authorized draft for vessels transiting its Neopanamax locks to 49.5 feet (15.09 metres), effective July 3. The decision is based on current and projected water conditions at the canal.

For the North American produce trade, the Panama Canal is a critical chokepoint for refrigerated cargo moving from South America — including fruit from Peru, Chile, and Ecuador — to East Coast and Gulf ports. Reduced draft limits mean vessels must carry less cargo per transit, which can lead to higher freight rates, delayed shipments, or rerouting.

This comes at a sensitive time heading into summer peak demand. Worth monitoring whether freight costs on key lanes start ticking up and whether any origin-side shippers begin adjusting load plans or routing.