U.S. imports of Peruvian blueberries jumped 80% in the first seven months of 2026, according to Peru's Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation. Total fresh blueberry exports from Peru reached 84,800 tons during that period, up 45% from 58,500 tons a year earlier, while total export value surged 65% to $620 million. Peru ended 2025 as the world's leading producer and exporter of fresh blueberries, surpassing Chile and Spain, with the U.S. accounting for 56% of total export value.

The growth came despite elevated temperatures associated with El Niño conditions. Expanded acreage in Ica and a production surge in La Libertad — where output rose 106% driven by higher-yielding varieties — are the primary volume drivers. The U.S., Netherlands, and China remain Peru's top three markets, representing roughly 79% of total blueberry exports.

With Peruvian blueberry arrivals into Miami, Philadelphia, and New York already expected to continue increasing seasonally per USDA market reports, category managers should watch pricing dynamics closely. Organic pricing is currently holding at $62–$64 per flat while conventional sits at $40–$42, but continued volume growth from Peru could put downward pressure on both as the season advances.

Potato harvest is underway in eastern Idaho with growers reporting yields as much as 20% below last year, smaller tuber sizes, and reduced acreage following a statewide drought declaration in April. The Idaho Department of Water Resources issued that declaration after a dry spring, and high summer temperatures — with stretches above 90°F for six consecutive weeks — compounded the damage. Total Idaho potato acreage fell roughly 5% year over year to around 121,400 hectares, with many growers planting less or switching to lower-water crops entirely.

The supply tightening is already pushing potato prices higher, though rising diesel costs during harvest are eating into grower margins. Storage reservoirs in the Upper Snake River basin were reported at all-time lows as of early October, raising immediate questions about water availability heading into the 2027 planting season. One grower said bluntly: "We're not going to have much water left in our bucket for 2027."

For buyers with potato programs tied to Idaho — including fresh russets, reds, and yellows — this is a situation worth watching through winter. Tightened supply combined with elevated freight costs could put upward pressure on pricing further into the season, and reduced 2027 planting could extend the impact.

USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Luke Lindberg says the new U.S.-China "30 for 30" tariff framework — in which roughly 90% of listed goods on the U.S. side are agricultural products — creates an opening for fresh produce exporters. USDA specifically identified tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, grapes, peaches, strawberries, blueberries, almonds, pistachios, and walnuts as potential beneficiaries of expanded China market access. A trade delegation is scheduled to visit China in early November to meet buyers and present U.S. products at a trade show.

USDA is also reinvesting in its Assisting Specialty Crop Exporters program, which works to resolve technical and regulatory barriers — including differences in maximum residue limits — that have historically caused U.S. produce shipments to be rejected at foreign ports. Beyond China, Vietnam and Taiwan were also identified as target markets, with a separate delegation to Vietnam also planned for November.

For growers and shippers of the named commodities, this is an early-stage development to track. Whether the framework translates into meaningful new commercial volume will depend on regulatory alignment and buyer relationships that take time to build, but the formal USDA commitment and upcoming delegations signal this is more than a talking point.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed AB 2646, raising the minimum hourly wage for H-2A agricultural workers and associated employees to $19.75 beginning January 1, 2027. The wage will also continue rising each year based on Social Security cost-of-living adjustments. The bill applies on top of existing H-2A requirements that employers already provide housing and transportation.

Western Growers, which opposed the bill throughout the legislative process, called it an "economically stupid mandate" and warned it will impose hundreds of millions in additional annual costs on California agriculture. The organization noted that net farm income in California is already declining as operating costs spiral, and that many growers cannot absorb or pass along dramatic wage increases. Western Growers also said it is evaluating legal options in response.

For buyers and category managers sourcing from California, this is worth monitoring closely. If growers reduce acreage or shift production to other states or Mexico, it could affect the volume and origin mix of key commodities — especially leafy greens, berries, and stone fruit — available through California supply chains starting in 2027.

North American produce markets are seeing significant divergence across key commodities this week. Mexican asparagus movement through Arizona, California, and Texas is expected to decrease, with Hurricane Polo halting harvesting that is only now resuming as fields dry. Many remaining shipments are already committed to prior contracts, leaving spot buyers with limited options. Peruvian asparagus through South Florida remains stable but light, with jumbo bunched cartons trading at $60.75–$62.75.

California strawberries are telling the opposite story. Trading has been slow, with prices falling sharply — Salinas-Watsonville flats of eight one-pound containers are mostly $6–$8, and some fruit is being diverted to freezers and processors. Meanwhile, Peruvian and Chilean blueberry imports through the East Coast are increasing seasonally, with conventional pricing slightly softer. Avocado movement from Mexico through Texas is described as fairly slow, with Hass two-layer cartons ranging from $21.25 to $40.25 depending on size.

The USDA data snapshot captures a market in transition: weather disruptions on one side compressing asparagus supply, while strawberry oversupply is severe enough to redirect product out of fresh channels entirely. Buyers building fall programs around either commodity should factor in these simultaneous pressures.

Mexico's mango industry suffered a sharp production decline during its latest harvest cycle, with national output down 40% overall and some individual states — particularly Nayarit — seeing losses as high as 70%, according to Daniel Radilla Ríos, president of Mexico's National Mango Product System Committee. Weather extremes including drought, heavy rainfall, and temperature swings disrupted flowering and tree development across the country's 23 mango-producing states. The conditions also intensified pest and disease pressure, particularly fungal issues tied to excess moisture.

Despite the severe volume drop, growers did not necessarily benefit from higher prices. Mangoes that failed to meet export standards flooded domestic and regional markets instead, pushing local prices down and leaving some packing houses temporarily closed. Growers in the hardest-hit areas barely covered production costs, Radilla said. The Ataulfo variety showed more resilience than red varieties like Tommy Atkins, Kent, and Keitt under adverse conditions.

Looking ahead, Radilla noted that the current crop shows more stable flowering and substantial foliage, which could support a volume recovery in the upcoming season — but weather remains the key variable. For buyers relying on Mexican mango programs, this story is consistent with the broader El Niño disruption already reported across key origins, and supply availability heading into the new cycle warrants close monitoring.