This season's Central Valley plum crop is ripening very well in warm temperatures and that volumes are building up towards a peak from later in July to mid-September, according to the California Plum Marketing Board.
The board's export market reports suggest wholesalers are happy with quality and demand in Mexico, where California holds an 80 per cent share of the plum market.
Promotional activities are planned in Hong Kong, where Chilean plums and Chinese stonefruit dominate the market, but good-quality Californian peaches and nectarines are building anticipation about Californian plums.
Californian plums have not yet reached Taiwan, where the appreciation of the Taiwanese dollar is good news for importers.
The Chinese market is dominated by local fruit, but rain has delayed the plum crop and trade feedback suggests it could be short too.
California plums have not arrived yet in China, however.
The board has also released a detailed report on the market in Canada.
The local Ontario deal is two weeks late because of a cool, wet spring and California plums are abundant in the country.
Aggressive pricing by discount banners, which now account more than half of total tonnage through distribution centres 'bodes well for exports to Canada as long as the appearance and quality remain strong,' the report states.
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