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Shipping-point FOB vs terminal wholesale

Buyers sometimes compare your FOB quote to a city terminal printout. Those are different markets. USDA AMS publishes both—on purpose.

Shipping point

Point of production or port of entry. “Districts” group shippers in a growing area. Reporters gather sales mainly by phone with sellers and buyers. Vegetable shipping-point price reports carry IDs ending in _FV120 (for example IX_FV120).

Terminal (wholesale) market

A physical wholesale market in a metro area where wholesalers sell to retailers and other large users. Unless otherwise stated, prices cover sales by first receivers up to 9:00 a.m. that morning, in wholesale lots of generally good merchantable quality. Vegetable terminal reports end in _FV020 (for example HC_FV020, Los Angeles).

Source: USDA AMS My Market News — Shipping Point Reports vs. Terminal Reports.

Why desks get burned mixing them

Terminal prices are a later step in the chain: a different seller (the first receiver), a different location, and a different buyer.
Read each report’s notes. Pack descriptions, quality notes, and lines such as “Extra services included” can differ from report to report.
A buyer citing LA or NY terminal against your Salinas FOB is not an apples-to-apples call without freight and role adjustments.

What to put on your morning sheet

Label columns: Shipping-point district vs Terminal city if you show both.
Match pack units to how you sell (carton 24s vs loose 20 lb, etc.).
Start sell ideas from shipping-point mostly bands for first-handler desks; use terminal as color for receivers/retail conversations.

Want the pull + drafts automated?

FOB Desk (Night Shift Labs) is on a waitlist — in development, not charging yet. Planned focus: shipping-point subscriptions, your costs/margins, web + PDF sheet, per-buyer email drafts you send yourself. Not affiliated with or endorsed by USDA.

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Related: How to read “mostly” ranges