CALIFORNIA – Imperial Valley:
Chris Woo at Potandon Produce reports that the Imperial Valley is done with the exception of cleanup, and the operation has moved north.
CALIFORNIA – Central Valley:
Potandon Produce’s Chris Woo says quality for the Central Valley’s start has been good, and demand is steady. Potandon is shipping all colors, and sizing ranges from mediums to colossals with a higher volume of jumbos.
Baker Packing growers started packing Central Valley onions this week, and Jerry Baker said the operation was shipping reds and yellows out of the gate. Jerry said it is early for the San Joaquin season, and he said his grower reported a smaller-than-average size profile on the first field.
MEXICO:
Dale DeBerry at AllVeg Sales in Bourne, TX, told OnionBusiness.com that he is moving onions out of Chihuahua through the middle of June, and he is working on a deal in another state. More news soon from Dale.
GEORGIA:
Dale DeBerry at AllVeg Sales in Bourne, TX, is currently in Georgia, where he’s working the Vidalia deal for another week. “It’s been an unusual season,” he said. “We had a heck of a crop, and we also had a labor shortage. Then we had rains, two to three inches a day, and eventually there was enough water that it hurt what was left in the fields.” Dale said about one-third of his growers’ crop was plowed under. “A couple of guys got mechanical harvesters that worked out good. I think we can expect to see more of that – I don’t think anyone wants to go through that [labor shortage] again.”
Chris Woo reported for Potandon Produce and Ray Farms that the harvest is now complete. Chris told us that this week demand is moderate, but pricing is higher than last week. Onions are currently being shipped from common storages, but the operation will switch to cold storage as soon as the common storage onions are moved.
NEW MEXICO:
Potandon Produce started moving New Mexico onions this week with small volumes of yellows and reds, according to Chris Woo. Chris said the sizing profile is mostly jumbos.
TEXAS – Winter Garden Area:
David DeBerry of Southwest Onion Sales’ Quemado/Winter Garden deal said the operation has ramped up its harvest. “We have about 10 days left, mostly the Cimarron variety,” David said. “The market condition is strong, the weather has been good, quality is very good – we’ve been fortunate, and it’s a good way to wrap up the season.” David said after rains in April caused heavy losses, but growers were able to make a good crop still. Southwest will move into the Colorado Western Slope onion deal in September, and David said later growers will start planting in Mexico and Texas and “wrap up 2016.”
