Halal Market Report — Oct 26–Nov 1, 2026

Halal Market Report

Week of

Oct 26–Nov 1, 2026

What moved this week

• Tomatoes doubled in two weeks. Mexico vine ripes went from mostly $26–28 on Oct 13 to $35–39 last Friday and $44–50.95 this Friday. East Tennessee mature greens jumped from $35.35 to $50.35–59.35, and Texas crossings were too light to quote at all. Relief depends on Florida's Palmetto/Ruskin start in about two weeks, and early yields there will be low. Pull fresh tomato out of cooked dishes, use canned for sauces and shakshuka, and reprice tomato-heavy salads now.
• Romaine is still climbing, and leaf has caught up. Salinas 24s are mostly $69.55–72.90 and hearts $72.45–75.55. Santa Maria, the cheaper option two weeks ago, rose another $5 to $45.55–47.55. Green leaf ($69.75–70.90) and iceberg ($69.95–73.55) now cost the same as romaine. At Hunts Point, California romaine jumped to $60 from $40–42; Quebec green leaf at $20–22 is the cheapest lettuce in the market. Salinas ends mid-November, so expect no relief before the desert transition. Immature fields are breaking down faster, so order tighter and rotate harder. No active romaine recall as of Friday.
• Cheese is still rising, but more slowly. Wheat broke lower. CME blocks gained 5.25¢ to $1.7350 and barrels 10¢ to $1.72. The weekly average block rose 19.9¢ to $1.7385, and that's the number that reaches November invoices. December Class III dropped 44¢ on Friday, so the ceiling looks lower than it did a week ago. If you didn't lock mozzarella last week, lock it now. Butter slipped to $1.34 and is still cheap. KC wheat fell 39.5¢ to $6.64½, and CBOT wheat posted its eighth straight weekly loss, the longest run since 1997. Ask your bakery for relief on pita and naan.
• Beef cuts fell while cattle rose. Chicken breast got cheaper and thighs got dearer. The Choice cutout fell $6.52 to $365.79. On Friday's daily trade, inside rounds were about $20 lower near $351 and 120 brisket about $14 lower near $399. October live cattle rose $2.32 to $229.87 after a bullish Cattle on Feed report (September placements −12%). With packer margins squeezed, they'll likely cut slaughter to lift the cutout, so buy rounds and brisket for the next two weeks rather than waiting for them to fall further. Boneless breast fell 3.9¢ to 113.0¢, and thighs at 174.8¢ now cost 62¢ more than breast, the widest gap yet. Move thigh dishes to breast wherever the recipe allows.
• Seafood: replacement costs are going up. Norwegian salmon export prices held near $3.52/lb whole, but the krone has gained about 2% against the dollar since, which puts the same fish near $3.60/lb at Friday's rate. Chinese tilapia and pangasius both rose on replacement costs. Greek sea bass hit record highs in Milan while bream fell, so offer bream where you'd normally serve branzino. Shrimp stopped falling, and Ecuador's power rationing could cut supply, so buy P&D forward now.

Rising / HighWatchSteadyEasing / Value

Produce

14 items

Avocados (Hass)

Mexico 40s/48s $24.25–26.25 FOB; NY $30, −$2

STEADY

Bell peppers, green

GA jumbo mostly $18.35–20.35 FOB, −$4; CA not yet

EASING

Cilantro

Central Coast 60s $18.90–20.75; Mexico $16–17

STEADY

Cucumbers

Texas medium $20.95–22.95; Nogales $14.95, lower

STEADY

Eggplant

GA medium mostly $14.35–16.35 FOB; unchanged

GOOD VALUE

Garlic, peeled (fresh)

Spain 5-lb jar $14–15 NY; China $14.50–17

STEADY

Ginger

Brazil 30-lb $28–30 NY, +$2; China $28–30

STEADY

Jalapeños

Mexico $28–31 FOB, −$2; GA $14.35–16.35, −$8

EASING

Limes

110s–175s $28–30 FOB, +$2; large sizes still short

WATCH

Mangoes

Tommy 6s $11–12, 12s $6–7.50 FOB; lower

GOOD VALUE

Onions, red + yellow

yellow jumbo $12–14; red 25-lb $10–11

GOOD VALUE

Romaine lettuce

Salinas 24s $69.55–72.90; hearts $72.45–75.55

RISING

Spinach

Central Coast 24s mostly $10.45–13.45; lower

GOOD VALUE

Tomatoes, round (fresh)

vine ripes $44–51, up ~$10 again; FL ~2 weeks

RISING

Meats · halal

12 items

Beef brisket

120 ~$399 on Fri daily, ~−$14; Choice primal ~$275

EASING

Beef, ground

85% chub ~$423 daily, firm; 50% trim ~$94

HIGH

Beef inside round 168

~$351 on Fri daily, ~−$20; cutout $365.79

EASING

Beef outside rnd 171B

~$380 on Fri daily, ~−$4

EASING

Chicken breast, BL/SL

113.0¢, −3.9¢; cheapest boneless cut

GOOD VALUE

Chicken leg, BL/SL

no public B/S quote; bone-in legs 77.3¢, +1.3¢

STEADY

Chicken thigh, BL/SL

174.8¢, +1.5¢; now 62¢ over breast

RISING

Chicken wings

110.5¢, +1.0¢; jumbo spot loads showing

WATCH

Gyro cone (beef & lamb)

lamb a few $ softer; 50% beef trim ~$94, +$5

WATCH

Lamb, ground

$907.39/cwt, −$4.74; still above $900

HIGH

Lamb leg, BRT

$997.76/cwt; Australian frozen leg ~41% under

HIGH

Whole chicken (WOG)

116.6¢, +0.4¢; quiet

STEADY

Seafood

5 items

Asian white shrimp P&D

US spot steadied; Ecuador power cuts risk supply

WATCH

Branzino (sea bass)

Greek bass record highs in Milan; bream fell

RISING

Cod

decline paused; Russia says 2027 Barents quota +14%

EASING

Salmon fillet (Atlantic, farmed)

Norway export ~$3.52/lb whole; ~$3.60 at Fri FX

WATCH

Tilapia

China up again on fingerling shortage

RISING

Dairy

8 items

Cheddar Jack, fancy shred

blocks $1.7350, +5.25¢; barrels $1.72

RISING

Eggs, large (shell)

loose 28¢/dz, −1¢; NY cartoned 72¢

GOOD VALUE

Feta

Greek sheep-milk short; +5–9% list hikes

RISING

Monterey Jack, fancy shred

weekly avg block $1.7385, +19.9¢

RISING

Mozzarella

blocks up 46¢ off the Sept low; lock contracts

RISING

Paneer

Nov Class III ~$17.80; Dec $16.78, −44¢ Fri

WATCH

Plain yogurt (Greek)

NFDM $2.095, −6.75¢; easing off near-record

HIGH

Sour cream

butter $1.34, −2.5¢; near a five-year low

GOOD VALUE

Pantry & bread

4 items

Basmati rice

1121 steam ~$0.36/lb FOB India, flat; paddy +53% y/y

RISING

Chickpeas (canned)

no canned quote; India kabuli ~$0.53/lb FOB, +2%

WATCH

Cooking oil (soybean)

Dec board 66.8¢, −0.3¢; WASDE holds 70¢

STEADY

Naan / pita

KC wheat $6.64½, −39.5¢; 8th weekly drop

EASING

Prepared Sat Oct 24, 2026 — market data through Fri Oct 23. Benchmarks: USDA Market News & CME (conventional wholesale); halal proteins run above quoted marks. All prices in US dollars; imported quotes converted at Friday's exchange rates. Beef cut values are from Friday's daily USDA cutout report; the weekly report was not yet posted.