G&R Produce in Glennville, GA, provided us with a harvest’s end update in late July, telling us “Thankfully we beat the heat this year with our mid-May harvest, which resulted in very good yields and high-quality product.”
The update also noted that Peruvian onions are “slightly behind schedule by a week or two,” but it said, “Vidalia storage onions are still available, and our early Peruvians will be here before you know it, so no gaps in the sweet onion market are expected.”
G&R said that because “Vidalias are a fresh onion, we can only store a limited amount of onions for a short few months.” The company release explained, “In order to do this, it takes key seed varieties and crafting perfectly timed planting and harvest strategies. Each decision is strategically made to benefit our retail partners and ultimately the consumer. To get a good onion out of storage takes a host of data gathered on every variety and every onion’s individual need.”
Crop Production Manager Cliff Riner “executes that plan to precision so we can put the right onions, in the right order, and our customers reap the benefits,” the update said.
Citing both quality and sizing for the 2022 Vidalia season, G&R said, “The very dry conditions this year allowed for good field curing and ultimately no delays in harvesting the crop. This year we finished with great sizing, yield, and in record time.”
And because planting season is “just around the corner,” the operation is “already making key input decisions and strategic purchases, not just to protect our input needs but also to analyze our in-house data, as well as University of Georgia data from variety and production trials. This is what keeps us on the cutting edge of quality.”
Regarding its Peruvian program, G&R said, “Things in Peru are looking good for all of our onions this year, including both organics and conventionals. Overall, the quality is good, water is ample, and there is no visible disease. Like every growing region globally, input costs can be a challenge with every input up by double digits – some as much as 50-80 percent.”
The company added, “It’s important to remember that Peru is in the Southern Hemisphere where it’s currently winter heading into spring. Weather this time of year can be challenging with lingering fog, but we are pleased to report that all crops are in good condition.”
And, it said, “We’re excited about many new improvements in our Peruvian growing operations including: expanded organic acreage, upgraded packing shed facilities, new dryers, and even upgraded packing equipment.”
