Featured image: New crop Vidalia onions, photo courtesy of Danny Ray with Ray Farms Inc. in Glennville, GA
MARKET
Vidalia, GA:
Danny Ray with Ray Farms Inc. in Glennville, GA, told us on April 17 that his family’s Vidalia season is off to a great start. “We are extremely busy out of the gate,” Danny said. “The onion quality looks excellent, and our customers are happy to get going with our new season. Thank the good Lord; we are starting with enough help to cover our needs. Of course, we always have to pray that the help stays for the whole season.” Danny continued. “We are starting with a good market and hope it will continue as other regions wrap up. Plus, we will be looking forward to starting with our reds around the first of May. All in all, we are off to a good start.” Many thanks to Danny for the photos he shot on April 18. Click images to enlarge and scroll.
Chris Woo weighed in on Vidalia this week as well. The Vidalia sweet onion shipping program just got started,” Chris said. “Folks down there are trying to get the market established. I’ve been told and photos I’ve received indicate that the sizing and tonnage is ample.” Chris continued, “The quality appears to be excellent as well. This week’s weather is forecasted to be dry, windy, and warm, which is conducive to creating good conditions for field harvest and onion curing so that the tops and roots dry down and create good color and firmness for the onion bulb itself. It looks like the Vidalia folks have everything aligned for a good season so far.”
Texas Rio Grande Valley/Mexico:
Don Ed Holmes with The Onion House in Weslaco told us on April 17 his Rio Grande Valley deal will run through this week and next and then wind down. He said Tampico has wrapped up, and Torreón will start up this Friday with whites, which will run about three weeks. “Chihuahua will come in after that,” he said. Don Ed added, “The markets have settled out and will start to strengthen.”
David DeBerry with Southwest Onion Growers in McAllen, TX, sent in beautiful photos this week from Nowell Borders Farms in Edinburg, TX. Click images to enlarge.
Idaho-E. Oregon/Texas/California:
Jason Pearson with Eagle Eye Produce in Nyssa, OR, told us on April 17, “We will be going another wee out of our Nyssa, OR shed, but that is all program business.” Jason said, “Demand’s been good out of Texas, and we just got started out of California. Quality has been good out of Texas, and it’s looking good out of California here at the start as well. In California, we started Tuesday with yellows, and we just started with reds today. The quality of the crop in California is looking VERY good.” On the market, Jason noted, “There has been a dip in the market for mediums. There are just a lot of them out there. Reds, however, are tight, tight, tight! On the larger yellows, the market is stable and steady.” When asked about transportation, Jason commented, “Transportation seems to be just fine, no matter where you are shipping from, so no issues there.” Finally, Jason made a brief comment on the Treasure Valley planting. “We are all in the ground and everything looks good so far. We just need Mother Nature to cooperate with us, and we are good to go.”
Washington, Oregon, Texas, California
John Vlahandreas with Wada Farms in Salem, OR, told us on April 17, saying, “It’s a little quiet this week,” John said, “To be honest, I think buyers are trying to figure this whole thing out. Let’s face it. We have seven regions actively shipping right now. I am pulling from four. Buyers might be thinking things could turn. California is coming in slow, but they are coming in early. We still have some Northwest shippers that will be shipping into May with open onions and decent quality… and with the onion type, some buyers want. But California is coming in with a very good quality onion. Then you have reds being crazy tight. So, what does the buyer do? They wait. If they see things changing at all, any blood in the water, then they think something will happen, and the market will slip. You need to remember that this year hasn’t been like the past couple of years. The market looks just fine right now.”
Organic Onions
Brad Sumner with Pacific Coast Trading Co. in Portland provided his report on April 17. “Demand is excellent and those with OG onions are selling everything they got!” Brad said. “Red onions are tight, tight, tight! Some relief is coming next week, hopefully from Brawley, but we will see. Early Brawley crop tends to be a little premature and rough. I hope that is not the case this season.” He continued, “Might not matter as those onions might be the only thing out there. OG white supply has increased and eased pricing a bit. OG Yellows from Mexico and Texas seem to be holding the orders, Brawley crop will just add to the inventory. OG Red pricing, with extra demand, comes with higher pricing. Yellows seem steady. Our Vidalia organic crop is starting up this week as well. I cannot wait to get through April and into May. More supply from more hands. Get this organic onion market back to some normalcy, maybe!”
CROP
Colorado Western Slope/Corinne, UT:
Don Ed Holmes with The Onion House in Weslaco, TX, said on April 17 that his Colorado and Utah grower have all their onions in the ground for the 2024 crop. Colorado traditionally kicks off around Labor Day, and Utah’s season begins in the late fall.
