Posts Tagged “Vidalia onion shipments”
The start of Vidalia onion season is almost here, with the official pack date announced by the Georgia Agriculture Commissioner and Vidalia Onion Committee. Vidalia onion fans across the country can mark their calendars for April 17, when the sweet onions are set to ship to grocery stores nationwide.
“In coordination with the Vidalia Onion Committee, I am incredibly excited to announce April 17,2024, as the official pack date of the 2024 Vidalia onion season,” said Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper. “Georgia Grown, Vidalia Onions are recognized around the globe for their iconic, sweet flavor that is treasured by culinary leaders and home chefs alike. This is an exciting time for Georgia farmers and consumers alike as we look forward to enjoying the sweet onion again!”
Vidalia onions are available for a limited time each year between April through early September. The pack date is determined by soil and weather conditions during the growing season, contributing to high-quality Vidalia onions. The Vidalia Onion Advisory Panel voted to recommend April 17th as the 2024 pack date to Commissioner Harper.
Known for their sweet, crisp flavor and versatility, Vidalia onions are a seasonal treat for various dishes – from savory to sweet! Because of the unique weather, water, and soil combination in 20 South Georgia counties, Vidalia onions cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world. While all Vidalias are sweet onions, not all sweet onions are Vidalias!
“For the 2024 season, we have 11,000 acres of Vidalia onions planted in the production area,” said VOC Chairman Cliff Riner. “Over the past few years, sweet onion sales have continued to increase, with Vidalia onions being a big part of the market. We’re looking forward to another great season this year.”
For over 80 years, Vidalia onions have been hand-planted, harvested, and cured by growers. The Vidalia Onion Act of 1986 established their growing region in South Georgia and trademarked the “Vidalia onion” name. Vidalia onions are grown from a distinctive Granex seed, then packed and sold on or after the official pack date annually.
About the Vidalia® Onion Committee
Because Vidalia® onions are sweetly unique, farmers united to seek legal protection for their crop and its name. Federal Marketing Order No. 955 was established in 1989, to stipulate where the crop can be grown and help with research and promotion of Vidalia onions. The Vidalia Onion Committee administers FMO No. 955 and authorizes production research, marketing research and development and marketing promotion programs. This federal program along with Georgia state laws that protect the Vidalia trademark have provided a legal framework for the industry. So, you can try to grow a sweet onion elsewhere, but you cannot call it a “Vidalia,” unless it is from Georgia! For more information, visit VidaliaOnion.org.
The official packing date of Monday, April 17th has been set when shipments of Vidalia onions from Southeastern Georgia can start.
The pack date was recently announced by the Georgia Agriculture Commissioner and Vidalia Onion Committee.
Vidalia onions are available for a limited time each year, between April through early September. The pack date is determined by soil and weather conditions during the growing season, which contributes to high quality Vidalia onions. The produce is produced in 20 Georgia counties.
“For the 2023 season, we have 10,000 acres of Vidalia onions planted in the production area,” said Vidalia Onion Committee Chairman Cliff Riner. “Over the past few years, sweet onion sales have continued to increase, with Vidalia onions being a big part of the market. We’re looking forward to another great season this year.”
With normal yields, 10,000 acres of onions should produce what is considered a normal sized crop.
For more than 80 years, Vidalia onions have been hand-planted, harvested and cured by growers. The Vidalia Onion Act of 1986 established their growing region in South Georgia and trademarked the “Vidalia onion” name. Vidalia onions are grown from a distinctive Granex seed, then packed and sold on or after the official pack date annually.
The Georgia Department of Agriculture and the Vidalia Onion Committee announced April 12th as the official pack date for the 2022 Vidalia onion season. Shipments can begin that day.
“In the 2022 season, approximately 10,000 acres of Vidalia onions were planted by 60 registered farmers across 20 southeastern Georgia counties,” said VOC Chairman Cliff Riner. “Representing about 40% of the sweet onion market across America, Vidalia onions are sold in all 50 states and most of Canada.”
Originally discovered by accident in the 1930s during the Great Depression, Vidalia onions have grown to be considered as a favorite across America. The Vidalia Onion Act of 1986 granted the trademark of the name “Vidalia onions” and defined the growing region in South Georgia. Vidalia onions are grown from a distinctive Granex seed, then packed and sold on or after the official pack date annually.
Only available for a limited time each year, Vidalia onions hitting grocery store shelves often signals spring has sprung for fans near and far from the onions’ home state of Georgia. The pack date is determined by growing season soil and weather conditions to ensure the highest quality Vidalia onions. The Vidalia Onion Advisory Panel unanimously voted April 12th as the 2022 pack date.
The pack date rings in the start of the Vidalia onion season, where shoppers can get their hands on the famous seasonal treat between April to August. Known for their sweet, mild flavor, these onions compliment any dish – from soups to salads and even desserts.
Shuman Farms of Reidsville, GA reports collectively with its family of farms, it grows, packs, and ships 2,200 acres of Vidalia onions in a roughly 10,000-acre industry.
The company notes this year’s crop has good quality with a variety of sizing available. Shuman Farms is a year-round grower, packer, and shipper of premium sweet onions from Vidalia, Peru, and Texas.
Vidalia onion shipments will start the third week of April from Southeastern Georgia.
For the 2021 season, approximately 10,000 acres of Vidalia onions were planted, Vidalia Onion Chairman Aries Haygood said. “We are anticipating a good harvest, and consumers across the country should have ample supply throughout the season.
The date growers can start packing under the Vidalia onion name is April 19. The date is determined each year by an advisory panel comprised of Vidalia industry members, state agriculture scientists and the Department of Agriculture, according to a press release.
Soil and weather conditions in south Georgia are taken into consideration to select the date, to help ensure only the highest-quality onions end up on consumers’ plates.
“It is a special moment every year when we announce the Vidalia onions pack date, but this year we will mark the passage of the 1986 Vidalia Onion Act by our state legislature that played a defining role in making our state’s official vegetable an iconic brand recognized around the world,” Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black said in the release.
First discovered in the 1930s, Vidalia onions quickly grew in popularity over the next few decades. The Vidalia Onion Act established that only sweet onions grown in 20 South Georgia counties from a distinctive Granex seed and packed and sold on or after the official pack date each year could be called Vidalia onions.
Known for its sweet, mild flavor and treasured by cooks nationwide, the vegetable is hand-cultivated by 60 registered growers. They represent about 40 percent of the sweet onion market and are sold in every state.
Georgia Vidalia onion shipments are underway and loadings should be similar to a year ago.
There are 9,373 acres on onions in the ground, which is similar to 2019 crop acreage, which was about 2,000 acres down from 2018.
The Vidalia Onion Committee reports more onions are being grown on less acreage. There are about 80,000 to 110,000 onion plants per acre being cultivated by hand to produce the 5 million to 7 million 40-pound equivalents shipped every year.
In 2019, the Vidalia onion industry produced 5.3 million 40-pound equivalents. There is a six to eight-week harvest period for fresh onions, and then about half the crop, or 3 million to 3.5 million bushels, is shipped from cold storage or controlled atmosphere storage through summer.
Last year was one of the best shipping season in Vidalia onion history and the industry has hopes for the same results this go around.
Every year the Georgia Department of Agriculture sets an official start date for the season after hearing from a 13-member advisory panel of the Vidalia Onion Committee of growers. This year’s start date was April 16.
The start date has been set and Vidalia Onion shipments get underway in a couple of weeks. Meanwhile, here’s an update on California avocado and strawberry shipments.
The Vidalia onion season will officially start on April 20th, which was recently announced by the Georgia Department of Agriculture and the Vidalia Onion Committee.
A starting date was implemented several years at as some shippers were concerned about immature or low-quality onions hitting the market early in the season. In 2017, April 12 was the start date, and in 2016 it was April 25. The packing date is based on soil and weather conditions in the 20-county area approved to market onions as Vidalias.
In 2017 Vidalia onions were grown on more than 11,000 acres.
California Avocado Shipments
This year’s avocado forecast is set at 374.6 million pounds, which is significantly higher than last year’s 215.8 million pounds. There was the normal light volume in February, but significant volume increase are seen in coming weeks as there will be avocados coming out of both California and Mexico.
With the close of February, 2 million to 4 million pounds per week were being shipped and volume increases of March are expected to continue April until movement eventually hits about 10 million pounds per week.
Ventura County avocados, strawberries and vegetables – grossing about $3900 to Dallas.
California Shipper’s Strawberry Outlook
by California Giant Berry Farms
Watsonville, CA – Spring conditions have finally arrived in California to help bring on the new strawberry crop for California Giant. Unfortunately, the company missed the chance to take advantage of the early Easter holiday which provides opportunity to build demand and lay the groundwork for a strong spring season. However, conditions have changed significantly and now California Giant is now looking ahead to the next chance with Mother’s Day.
What initially looked like an early season for the company’s California strawberry crop, didn’t quite happen as growers thought it would. . Additionally, the company had weather issues in their two other regions, Mexico and Florida, which typically helps fill the early season gaps.
“…In Watsonville and Salinas we expect big beautiful fruit next week bypassing the typical mud crop” says JT Tipton, District Manager for Salinas and Watsonville. Barring any unexpected return of winter conditions, the sales team is looking forward to Mother’s Day ahead and promotable volume to support their key customers.”
Washington potato shipments for the new season are underway, while Vidalia onion loadings continue. In British Columbia (BC), blueberry shipments are in peak volume.
Washington state’s potato season got underway in July with some early variety chipping varieties, followed by some colored varieties out of the Yakima Valley. Then came some early processing spuds, followed by fresh market russets.
Fresh potato acerage in Washington has been stable at about 25,000 acres for several years now. Around 70 percent of the state’s potatoes are destined for export markets, comprised mostly of processed products. Most of Washington tablestock potatoes are shipped to Canada, Mexico and Taiwan. The state also has red potatoes coming out of the Skagit Valley.
While Washington potato sheds ship russets the year-round, its red, yellow and white potatoes usually are finished by March or April.
Vidalia Onion Shipments
Steady volume with Vidalia onions is expected to continue through Labor Day. Truck shipments are expected to be very similar to last year’s total volume of 6.2 million 40-pound boxes, coming off of Southeastern Georgia’s nearly 12,000 acres, As of July 26, there were still about 750,000 40-pound cartons of onions remaining in storage.
Bland Farms of Glennville, GA, expects to be shipping Vidalia onions out of storage through late August or early September, with a smooth transition expected to Peruvian imports in September. Imported Peruvian onions will continue for the U.S. into early next year.
A little over 200 truck loads per week are being shipped out of the Vidalia district
Vidalia onions – grossing about $3000 to New York City.
BC Blueberry Shipments
British Columbia’s blueberry shipments should peak through August and could last into early September. In a more normal year, most British Columbia “blues” would be shipped to markets in the Western U.S. However, with East Coast blueberry volume slashed this year due to weather factors, more BC blueberries will be trucked into the Eastern Time Zone. However, BC shipments could be off 30 to 50 percent this season due to poor pollination. As the BC season closes around Labor Day, imports of blueberries from Peru and Argentina will start arriving at U.S. ports.
More details are becoming available on that mid March hard freeze that hit crops from North Carolina to Southern Georgia. Spring produce shipments from the Southeast will definitely be affected.
Georgia Blueberry Shipments
That March 15-17 freeze could reduce Georgia blueberry shipments by as much as 75 percent this spring, costing the industry $400 million. At best, there is hope “only” 60 percent of the crop was lost, but it could easily be higher in the south-central areas of Georgia, which is heart of blueberry production.
In this area, covering about 50 miles, 60 to 70 percent of Georgia’s blueberry crop is located. Some farmers have lost 100% of their early production rabbiteye crop. Temperatures in the area dropped to as low as 21 degrees for three nights in a row in mid-March.
Georgia Peach Shipments
Georgia peach orchards, primarily located in the Ft. Valley area, may have faired better than blueberries. Shipments may be reduced by “only” 40 to 50 percent. The lack of chill hours in middle Georgia had delayed the budding process. Now those buds are emerging, but growers now have to take a wait and see approach. Because the peaches were so late, it may have protected the crop.
Still, later on, there’s what is called the “May drop,” where any damaged peaches could start falling from trees.
Vidalia Onion Shipments
Escaping freeze damage was the Vidalia sweet onion crop. Shippers are still making normal plans for the official April 12 opening shipping date. It is described as one of the best crops in years.
Georgia Vegetable Shipments
Freeze damage to Georgia vegetables is all over the board. Bell peppers and other summer vegetables will be lost, while others veggie are expected to be slowed, but not fatally harmed by the weather. It will be awhile before accurate information is available…..As for Georgia watermelon shipments, there is believed to be some losses, but it should be relatively minor.
North Carolina Fruit Shipments
There is widespread damage to peaches and blueberry crops, but little specific information is available at this time.
South Carolina Produce Shipments
We’ll have a report on Monday, March 27th regarding South Carolina, which actually ships more peaches than Georgia or North Carolina in a normal season.
Here’s a shipping update ranging from California carrots to Florida citrus and Vidalia onions. There’s also one less major Georgia onion shipper this year.
California carrots may a little roughed up due to record rains and flooded fields during the past several months, but shippers say the quality remains good for hauling despite some blemishes and cosmetic flaws.
Eighty-five percent of the nation’s fresh carrots are grown and shipped from California. It’s believed there are between 40 and 50 carrot growers in the Golden State. Most of those farmers market and ship the product through Grimmway Farms in Bakersfield, Wm. Bolthouse Farms Inc., Bakersfield, or Kern Ridge Growers in Arvin.
Kern County carrots – grossing about $3700 to Chicago.
Florida Citrus
Florida citrus shipments, consisting primarily of grapefruit, tangerines and Valencia oranges, are on a steady seasonal decline. Grapefruit is pretty much finished, while tangerine loadings should continue until mid-April. valencias shipments are expected remain fairly steady through May.
Since 2005, when the first signs of citrus greening was discovered, Florida’s citrus shipments have plummeted by 75 percent.
Florida spring produce – grossing about $1100 to Atlanta.
Vidalia Onion Shipments
Vidalia onion shipments from Southeastern Georgia get underway with the official packing date of April 12th, which is two weeks earlier than last year Favorable winter and spring growing conditions are the reasons for the earlier start. Last season Georgia shipped 268 million pounds of Vidalia onions from 11,200 acres.
Plantation Sweets Bankruptcy, Auction
Vidalia onions has one less grower/shipper this season. Plantation Sweets of Cobbtown, GA filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in July 2016 claiming assets of less than $50,000 and liabilities of more than $10 million and listing an estimated 50-99 creditors, according to court documents filed at that time. Plantation Sweets was one of oldest and larger Vidalia onion operations ranking as the second or third largest shipper there.
The packinghouse, land and equipment formerly used in operations for Plantation Sweets will be offered in a bank-ordered auction April 26. Farming equipment and micro-bins used in the operations will be sold April 27 in a separate auction.
While known for its Vidalia onions, Plantation Sweets also had sweet potatoes, watermelon, corn, cabbage and tobacco.
Georgia peach shipments enter the final weeks of the season, while Vidalia onions continue providing consistent, steady loads. In the Northwest pears, potatoes and onions are in light, but increasing volume.
Following a shipping in late July, Ft. Valley, GA area shippers are expecting a final season surge of peaches before loadings wind down around August 16-17. The first half of the season was off to a slow start until the middle of June, but it has ramped up and should continue for a couple more weeks. Total Georgia peach shipments this year are expected to be up about 25 percent from a year ago. Some shippers have already finished their season, but a couple of larger ones remain in operation.
Meanwhile, sweet onions from the Vidalia district continue to be shipped from storages, averaging about 250 truck loads per week.
Vidalia onion shipments – grossing about $3000 to New York City.
Northwest Pear Shipments
Northwest pear shipments, primarily from Washington state and Oregon should be very similar to the 2015-16 shipping season, with a 2 percent increase in volume being forecast. Growers in Washington and Oregon should produce about 18.7 million boxes of pears this season, The initial estimate was made last spring and a revised shipping estimated is expected soon. Harvest of bartletts and Starkrimson pears was beginning in late July, with winter pears expected to begin in mid-August.
However, apple shipments continue to have the heaviest volume, even though it is late in the season, with a few early varieties already kicking off the start of the 2016-17 shipping season. Rates to the East Coast may vary by as much $500 to a $1000. For example, recent rates to Atlanta have ranged from $4800 to $5800, although the majority of the shipments seem to going for the higher end of this range.
Potato and Onion Shipments
Northwest potato shipments and onion shipments for the new season are increasing in volume. In the Columbia Basin of Washington and the adjacent Umatilla Basin of Oregon potato loadings are expected to have a sharp increase as the old crop has finished and the 2016-17 is now the primary focus. This same area also has very light onion volume, but it will increasing in the weeks to come.