The early season peach and nectarine crops are about to get underway in California. Next week the earliest varieties of the season will be packed. The industry consensus is for a crop about 10% smaller than last season. There is considerable demand for processing grade peaches used in freezing and drying this year. Early price indications are for field run freezer grade fruit to be $440 per ton with packinghouse grade fruit at $200 per ton. Most early season varieties have not been used in these products in the past, but high demand for fruit this season is making it so that the processors who run freezer grade fruit are willing to take these varieties this year. The season start date is about a day or two later than it was in 2014.
