Organic stone fruit and organic blueberry production is underway in California. "The stone fruit crop is lighter in some commodities but closer to normal in others. Early apricot varieties are particularly light–down 40–50 percent–while June varieties look to be average," says Parker Anderson, category manager for Homegrown Organic Farms. "Peaches are expected to be five to 10 percent lighter, nectarines around 15 percent lighter, and plums vary by variety but are expected to have a normal overall volume."
Apricots will start harvest in early May.
Apricots are first to harvest, beginning in early May, with yellow peaches (YP) and yellow nectarines (YN) following by mid-May. The season is starting on schedule, similar to last year, with no major shifts in timing.
All of Homegrown Organic Farm's stone fruit is grown within 20 miles of its home base in Kingsburg, CA. Growing conditions have been generally favorable. "For organics, spring rains present a challenge, requiring diligent field management to maintain quality," says Anderson.
Meanwhile, industry organic imports from Chile are wrapping up and some domestic fruit is starting out of the Coachella desert area.
As for demand, it's strong for California stone fruit. "We expect stone fruit pricing to be at or slightly higher than last season, particularly for organics given lower supply and strong demand," says Anderson.
L-R: Parker Anderson, Ryan Fronke
Organic blueberry update
Over on blueberries, organic supply is currently light as it transitions into heavier domestic production. "The California crop is on time but lighter on the front end, mainly due to some hail damage in the southern San Joaquin Valley. Peak weeks are expected to make up volume," says Ryan Fronke, category manager. "Offseason weather has impacted the start of all major regions but strong volume weeks are ahead."
This year, Homegrown Organic Farms is also offering jumbo-sized organic blueberries this season–an item which continues to see popularity with consumers.
While the crop is lighter at the beginning, the crop is starting on time overall. Along with California, there is industry organic domestic supply coming from Georgia and Florida while Mexico and Peru are still shipping light volumes into the U.S.
On demand, it is extremely strong due to the overall supply shortage. "Pricing is very high compared to historical levels, driven by the late and lighter start in California and Georgia," says Fronke, adding that rising costs for inputs continue to be a significant challenge, especially for organic production where additional requirements drive costs even higher. "We anticipate pricing to ease somewhat but still remain higher than in past years."
For more information:
Elise Smith
Homegrown Organic Farms
Tel.: (+1) 559-306-1777
[email protected]
www.hgofarms.com