California's Central Valley is hitting peak production on field-grown bell peppers, and the season is running roughly two weeks ahead of a normal calendar. Jay Angulo of Baloian Farms says Fresno started about a week early, and coastal supply also came online this week — earlier than typical.
The early timing means buyers are seeing strong bell pepper availability now, with both interior and coastal California production running simultaneously. That overlap can push down prices and create promotional opportunities, but it also compresses the transition window before supply eventually tightens.
For category managers, the early peak is worth factoring into late-July and August planning. If the season burns through faster than usual — as has happened with other early-start crops this year — supply could tighten sooner than expected heading into the fall transition.