Most likely sweet onion shipments from the Vidalia onion district in Southeast Georgia that are labeled “Vidalias” will begin shipping April 27th. Unlabeled Vidalias should start sooner.
The Vidalia Onion Advisory Panel met with Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black March 23 and recommended an April 27 shipping start date this season for the state’s trademarked vegetable.
Under Georgia law, the ag commissioner sets the beginning of shipping each year. The commissioner is not bound by the advisory panel’s recommendation, but Black has followed it during his tenure in office.
Vidalia onions are maturing about 10 days later than usual because of weather conditions this winter.
Meanwhile sweet onion supplies out of Mexico and Texas have had consistency issues. Vidalias can be shipped prior to the official starting date, but cannot be labeled as Vidalia onions. No double some shipments from Vidalia will begin the first or second week of April.
In mid-March, despite a wet winter with 20 inches of rain in since mid-December, the Vidalia crop looks clean, but that could change if problems such as disease arise.