The California strawberry market is running extremely tight right now, with volume described as extremely low. Forecasted rain is expected to tighten supplies even further in the near term, pushing prices higher across the board.
California is the dominant domestic source for strawberries heading into summer, so disruptions here hit the whole country. This comes on top of already elevated strawberry markets nationally, and with South Carolina growers dealing with a Fusarium wilt outbreak this season, there's no easy backup volume to lean on.
Buyers should expect this tightness to persist through any rain events and reassess promotional plans accordingly. If you're holding ad commitments, check in with your supply chain now.