Listed West to East
CALIFORNIA:
Cindy Elrod at Peri and Sons in Yerington, NV, said harvest in the Central Valley will wrap up in late August, and packing will finish in September.
WASHINGTON/COLUMBIA BASIN:
The Prosser onion deal for Utah Onions is going well, according to CEO Bob Meek. Bob told OnionBusiness.com on Aug. 16, “Harvest is well underway now, and we’re shipping reds, whites, yellows and sweets – everything but organics.” He said the region has experienced “interesting weather, with heat early on and then some cool days.” Harvest is going on at night, and Bob said it will continue at a steady pace. “It is an average crop with a good range of sizing,” he said, noting the onions are running heavy to mediums. “So far we are right on track,” he said, adding that organics will start next week. The Washington onions will ship into May.
Stefan Matheny at River Point Farms in Hermiston, OR, said the company’s Washington deal is seeing overall demand at light to moderate this week, with pricing $7 on jumbo yellows and reds and $6 on mediums reds. Stefan noted, “Demand is up on colossal yellows and medium reds. Quality continues to be very good, and the sizing is up on the onions coming in.”
IDAHO-E. OREGON:
Kimi Fitch of Jamieson Produce, a year round onion shipper in Vale, OR, reported that that company’s transplants started on July 20, and Jamieson started shipping its seeded crop this last week. Kimi also said demand has been consistent, and the company is shipping reds and yellows in all colors and sizes right now. On quality, Kimi said, “So far, so good. We have been fortunate that Mother Nature has been pretty good to us this year.”
Steve Baker at Baker Packing in Ontario, OR, reported market pricing for IEO onions on Aug. 17 was at $7-$8 fob for jumbo yellows, $6 fob for medium yellows, $9 for colossal yellows and $10-$12 for super colossals. Jumbo whites were at $12; medium whites at $9-$10; 25# jumbo reds $9; and 25# medium reds $7. “Demand has been fairly light the first part of the week,” Steve said. “We’re expecting demand to pick up with California and New Mexico winding down.”
SE COLORADO:
L&M Cos. started harvest and shipping out of Colorado’s Arkansas Valley in early August with onions from the Rocky Ford area. On Aug. 16 onions from Pueblo started, according to Don Mameda. Don said yellows and whites started the deal, and reds will begin the third week of August. Sizing is heavy to mediums, and he said, “Overall the onions look very good.” Some losses were seen to hail earlier in the growing season, but Don said the deal is on track. Pack-outs are in cartons and RPC as well as 2-50# mesh bags. The Colorado onions will ship from the Rocky Ford warehouse through mid- to late January, he said.
UTAH:
Utah Onions’ home state deal has started, with yellows coming in to the Syracuse operation now. Bob Meek said, “We’ve had a hot summer, and we won’t have record yields here in Utah. Some onions have sized, and some haven’t – so we’re not ahead of the game here.” The shed is shipping yellows now and will start reds and the lighter volume of whites next week. All onions in the Utah deal are conventionally grown and will ship through late April-early May, Bob said.
MICHIGAN:
Jon Meyer with Ohio-headquartered Market Brothers is heading up MB’s Michigan office now and reported on Aug. 17 that the company started shipping Michigan onions approximately two weeks ago. The crop is looking great, he said, adding, “This is the best quality we seen in years.” The size profile is heavy on larger sizes, and Jon noted that one of Market Brothers’ growers in east-central Michigan near Stockbridge has some awesome jumbo yellows coming out of the fields. Jon also said demand is steady, and though the market is a little off, it is very normal for this time of year.
NEW YORK:
Rick Minkus, owner of Minkus Family Farms in New Hampton, NY, told us that operation has begun shipping transplants, and the quality is excellent. Rick said, “Though most of New York was fairly dry this summer, Orange County has fared pretty well. The area received good rains two weeks ago, and more welcomed rain came this week.” So far, Minkus has harvested 35 acres, and Rick said there has been absolutely no waste. Minkus is shipping reds and yellows with some larger sizes, but he indicated the company has a good amount of mediums available. Demand has been a little light, but Rick said it’s normal with more areas coming on. He expects demand to pick up in the next several days and into next week.
