Frozen fruit prices are set in the field, months before the fruit reaches your freezer. The buyer who contracts during — or just after — harvest buys from abundance. The buyer who contracts six months later buys from storage, and pays for it. A buying calendar will not predict the market, but it tells you when to start the conversation for each fruit so you are negotiating from the strong side of the season.
Why harvest timing moves the price
Three things happen at harvest. First, raw material is cheapest and most abundant, so processors run at full capacity and compete for volume — this is when the best specifications are available. Second, quality peaks: fruit frozen within hours of picking, at full ripeness, needs no compromise on color or Brix. Third, forward positions open: processors offer the year’s most aggressive pricing to fill their books early.
Buy late and the picture reverses. Stocks are committed, the remaining lots are whoever’s leftovers, and any specification you insist on — size, Brix, defect tolerance — costs extra because the processor has to sort for it instead of selecting from abundance.
The windows below are typical Northern Hemisphere harvest periods for the main frozen-fruit origins. They are indicative, not contractual — weather shifts every season, and Southern Hemisphere counter-season supply (Chile, Peru) changes the math for blueberry and raspberry. Confirm the current season’s window with your supplier before fixing contract dates.
| Fruit | Typical harvest window (N. Hemisphere) | Best contracting period | What to watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strawberry | Winter–spring crop (Dec–Apr in major Chinese origins); spring (Apr–Jun) elsewhere | Jan–Apr | Early-season fruit runs smaller; confirm size/grade target |
| Mango | Apr–Aug depending on origin | May–Jul | Variety changes everything — confirm variety, not just “mango” |
| Blueberry | Jun–Aug (N. Hemisphere); Nov–Mar counter-season (Chile/Peru) | Jun–Aug for N. Hemisphere lots | Counter-season lots carry different price logic — compare like with like |
| Raspberry | Jun–Aug | Jun–Aug | Fragile fruit — confirm broken-fruit tolerance while supply is abundant |
| Yellow peach | Jul–Sep | Jul–Sep | Short window; late buyers face limited grade choice |
| Pineapple | Year-round with peaks | Confirm per origin | Less seasonal pressure, but processing capacity still concentrates |
What to lock into an annual agreement
A calendar tells you when to talk; the agreement decides what you get. For each fruit, fix these before the season opens:
- Specification, not just product name. “IQF strawberry” is not a specification. Whole vs sliced, size or grade, broken-fruit tolerance, Brix target, defect sorting — the full sheet, agreed while the processor can still select for it.
- Volume split across the year. Commit a base volume at harvest pricing and leave a flexible top-up tranche. You get the harvest price on the base; the supplier gets a committed book.
- Shipment schedule. Monthly call-offs against cold-store stock, or direct shipment during the processing season — each has different cash-flow and storage implications. State which one you are pricing.
- Sample from the offered lot. Pre-shipment samples should come from the lot you will receive, not from last season’s reference stock.
- Price validity and review points. Harvest pricing holds until the next season only if both sides agree what “the season” means — write the dates down.
Information to include in your seasonal RFQ
- Fruit, variety, and freezing method (IQF)
- Form and size/grade target
- Full specification: broken-fruit/defect tolerance, Brix, color
- Annual volume with monthly call-off pattern
- Destination market and delivery terms
- Target contracting month and first shipment date
Time your inquiry to the harvest, specify like it is harvest season even when it is not, and confirm the season’s actual window with your supplier before you sign.
For the full product specifications behind this guide, see our IQF strawberry, IQF mango and IQF blueberry pages. If you are still deciding between whole and sliced strawberry, start with our IQF strawberry whole vs sliced guide.
