It is approaching the latter part of the shipping season for New Mexico onions and from a trucking stand point just make sure your receivers know the quality of the product being loaded. About one-third of the crop is only rated as fair, while two-thirds is seen as good or excellent.
USDA reports 31 percent of the New Mexico’s onion crop is rated excellent, 35 percent rates as good, and 34 percent as fair. New Mexico produced nearly 3,600 truckloads of onions this season.
Chili pepper growers in the Hatch-area apparently are shipping a quality crop. The USDA says over 50 percent of the state’s peppers are in excellent condition.
Drought conditions he lack of Rio Grande River irrigation water has once again forced growers to pump high salinity ground water on their crops, resulting in onion yields being down in the Hatch area.
In 2011 the state’s total onion shipments was nearly 3,400 truck loads, and 2010’s total yield was 4,125 truck loads.
The largest onion hauls in New Mexico in recent years were in 2007 when shipments hit over 4,400 truck loads and in 2003 when there were 5,300 truckloads and finally in 2002 with 5,500 truck loads.
New Mexico’s chili pepper shipments the Hatch area should get underway in early August, with shipments exceeding those of a year ago.
New Mexico onions are grossing about – $3200 to Chicago.