Anchovies Beached

This appears to be an isolated event but given the extreme shortage of Cantabric Anchovies, it is not good to hear of it. Seems that millions of young fish (nearly 3 tons!)were confused and swam ashore in mass on the beaches of northern Spain between Cantabria and Asturia.

What's New at AJ GOURMET?

With the Holiday Season Fast approaching, there are some new items to be introduced next month at AJ GOURMET Foods


We'll soon have some specialty Spices such as Smoked Pepper, Smoked Sea Salt, Herbes de Provence and a pure Foods Grade Lavender!

Also coming to the program will be 4 oz jars of Novia del Sol ARBEQUINA Olives and Novia del Sol NIÇOISE (Cuquillos in Spain). Both are whole and delicious. Arbequinas are renowned for the fine Oil they produce and are one of the smallest and most flavorful olives around. Niçoise are famous as an addition to fine mediterranean dining...

Remember folks... Whole Olives have PITS! Eat these with care.... and enjoy!

California Ripe Olives from Food News

From the Food News comes the following:

"California canneries anticipating worst olive harvest in 25 years."

Here is the article in Full:

"CALIFORNIA's olive crop forecast is for 50 000 (short) tons, down 65% from last year's crop of 142 000 tons, writes Rob Songer .Bearing acreage is estimated at 31 000 for a yield of 1.61 tons per acre, down by 64% from last year's yield and olive growers across California are reporting that the 2006 olive crop is the worst crop in many years, according to the Western Farm Press .If the crop forecast of 50 000 tons becomes a reality, it would be the smallest since 1981, when 44 900 tons were produced.
According to forecasts from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), there is little to no crop from the northern counties to the Central Valley, due to a bad winter and spring, when extremely warm weather in January was followed by freezing temperatures in February, damaging the fruit buds.
Heavy rains and cool temperatures compounded this in April and May, during the peak of olive bloom, knocking blossoms off the trees and preventing proper pollination.
Manzanillo and Sevillano olive varieties are expected to produce 76% and 20% of the total olive crop, respectively. The remaining 4% are expected to come from all other varieties.
The bulk of the total production will go for canning. USDA/NASS estimates say that approximately 45 000 tons will be canned with the remaining 5 000 tons used for olive oil and other speciality products."

The Spanish industry is set to have a more normal year as previously reported pushed only by current shortages waiting production, tin plate costs and the uncertain exchange rates... Watch for more news....

Green Olives Updated

This just in from Spain...

Según todas las informaciones, no hay muchas gordales este año, particularmente en el Aljarafe hay muy poca… representaría un aumento de la materia prima de aprox 25% y en producto final, incluido las perpectivas de aumento mano de obra y material envasado, de más del 15%.

Looks Like Queens are going to be higher priced though I do not expect the full 15%, the early indications are SHORTAGES which will open the door further for non Queen look alikes....

This shortage will pull the Manzanilla price upward too is my guess. Hojis are looking okay right now... More on that and Ripe Olives later.

Please forward us your Quantity Requirements as soon as possible as we will cover that first and negotiate the prices later...

And oh, what will the US $ do? Currently at 1.27 to 1.28 range and threatening rain!

Capers caper...

It looks like that the crops both in Turkey and Morroco are not as big as expected. In Turkey and the sourinding countries the picking has been shorter. At the beginning of August the crop was almost finished whereas in the past years this was lasting until end August. In total we had including Syria a crop of 7000-7500 tons which gives a yield of about 1400 -1500 tons of nonpareilles. In Morroco our of a crop 10000 tons they will have 300-400 tons of nonpareille only

Taking in consideration that there are no carryovers from last year, the quantity of nonpareille will not be sufficient for the season. We have started already feeling from some buyers of nonpareilles switching to surfines already. We believe also other grades will remain firm during the whole season.
After the Fancy Food Show the prices started to pick up. In average we had to pay 20 % higher the raw material then last year which influenced the prices