Origins
Out of seasonCalifornia onion prices
California onions are not currently quoted. The last USDA shipping-point price was mostly $15.00 FOB per 50 lb sack for yellow jumbo in 50 lb sacks, on Aug 14, 2026.
Data through Aug 14, 2026 · source last checked Nov 5, 2026 · page revised Nov 5, 2026
Cite
- Yellow jumbo, 50 lb sacks
- Yellow medium, 50 lb sacks
- Yellow colossal, 50 lb sacks
- Red jumbo, 25 lb sacks
- Red medium, 25 lb sacks
- Yellow super colossal, 50 lb sacks
- USDA mostly / low-high range for Yellow jumbo, 50 lb sacks
About this data
- Source
- USDA AMS shipping-point onion FOB reports (FV130) and Daily Movement (FV170)
- Series
- Onion FOB price at a benchmark variety, pack and size
- Basis
- FOB shipping point, low-high range
- Geography
- California
- Unit
- $/50 lb sack
- Last observation
- Aug 14, 2026
- Update frequency
- USDA reports on business days
$15.00 (comparison midpoint), 50% above the 5-yr median. California's season typically runs April to September. It is out of season now, so there is no fresh shipping-point quote, which is normal rotation, not a data gap. Last reported FOB: mostly $15.00, 50 lb sacks, Aug 14, 2026.
California onions are out of season. The last shipping-point quote was mostly $15.00 FOB per 50 lb sack for yellow jumbo on Aug 14, 50% above the 5-year median.
| Period | Current | Prior | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year over year | $15.00 | $7.50 | +100.0% |
| vs 5-yr median | $15.00 | $10.00 | +50.0% |
Previous weeks
An earlier week
California yellow jumbo onions mostly $15.00 per 50-lb sacks, holding this week after slipping $0.50 from a month prior. Pricing sits 50% above the 5-year median and has doubled from a year ago, USDA reports. Colossal onions reached $15.50, medium settled at $13.00.
An earlier week
California yellow onions mostly $15.00 per 50-lb sack, off $1.00 on the week, but 50 percent above the 5-yr median. Super colossal sizes priced at $18.00, mediums and reds at $13.00 and $11.50-12.00 respectively. Year-over-year the market has doubled from last August's $7.50.
California onion market
California's last USDA quote of the season was mostly $15.00 per 50 lb sack for yellow jumbo onions in 50 lb sacks, on Aug 14, 2026. A month before that, on Jul 15, 2026, it was mostly $15.00-16.00; a year earlier, on Aug 14, 2025, $7.00-8.00. That last quote was up 100% on the year and 50% above the five-year median of $10.00 for the same time of year.
With no California quote since Aug 14, 2026, the same spec, yellow jumbo onions in 50 lb sacks, is quoted mostly $11.00 at Washington (Nov 4, 2026) and mostly $12.00 at Idaho-Eastern Oregon (Nov 4, 2026). The weekly movers board lists every origin quoting this week.
Over the past year USDA quoted California in three varieties: yellow (medium, jumbo, colossal and super colossal, in 50 lb sacks), red (medium and jumbo, in 25 lb sacks) and white (medium and jumbo, in 50 lb sacks), eight variety, size and pack combinations in all. Size moves the price within one pack: California's yellow onions in 50 lb sacks were quoted mostly $13.00 for medium, mostly $15.00 for jumbo and mostly $15.00-16.00 for colossal on Aug 14, 2026.
Season. California onions typically ship April to September. USDA quoted the Imperial Valley desert crop from Apr 24 to May 27, 2026, after Apr 28 to Jun 5, 2025 the season before. USDA quoted the San Joaquin Valley crop from May 28 to Aug 14, 2026, after Jun 16 to Aug 19, 2025 the season before.
Shipments. USDA's movement report still shows California shipping, with no shipping-point price published since Aug 14, 2026: 139 units of 10,000 pounds on Oct 30, 2026, up 48% from 94 units on Oct 31, 2025.
Where the quotes come from. Two districts USDA quotes separately: the Imperial Valley desert crop in spring and the San Joaquin Valley crop in summer. Every price on this page is FOB the shipping point, before freight: what FOB means and how freight changes the delivered price cover the difference.
Common questions
What is the current onion price in California?
California is not being quoted right now. The last USDA shipping-point price was mostly $15.00 FOB per 50 lb sack for yellow jumbo onions in 50 lb sacks, on Aug 14, 2026. The same spec is quoted mostly $11.00 at Washington (Nov 4, 2026) and mostly $12.00 at Idaho-Eastern Oregon (Nov 4, 2026).
When is California onion season?
California onions typically ship April to September. In USDA's reports, the Imperial Valley desert crop was quoted from Apr 24 to May 27, 2026 and the San Joaquin Valley crop was quoted from May 28 to Aug 14, 2026. Outside the window there is no fresh shipping-point quote, which is ordinary crop rotation. The onion calendar shows how the origins hand off through the year.
Are California onion prices higher than last year?
Yes. Yellow jumbo onions in 50 lb sacks were last quoted mostly $15.00 on Aug 14, 2026, 100% higher than the $7.00-8.00 USDA reported on Aug 14, 2025 (midpoint to midpoint). That quote was 50% above the five-year median of $10.00 for the same time of year.