California fresh market strawberry pricing has been the highest in the month of April than at any time in the past five years according to USDA National Berry Report numbers. It has been running at nearly twice the five year average. Fresh market volumes have averaged only two thirds of normal for this time of year. Low fruit production from the fields in California so far have more than offset the extra planted acreage. Lower bloom and fruit set in Oxnard, along with a slower start to the other districts, have kept production low. This trend looks to continue for the next few weeks.
