Both of the Carolinas are looking for improved volume with produce shipments through the summer.
Despite a strange start for spring weather in South Carolina, shipments of fruits and vegetables are looking favorable as we progress into June.
Some of the best news regard South Carolina peach shipments which should be much better than the past two seasons. While peach volume early in the season will be lighter than normal, once we get into mid June loadings should be good through July and into August.
A similar scenario is seen for South Carolina watermelon shipments. Growers have increased acreage for 2018 as the harvest kicks off in mid June and runs through August.
Cantaloupe shipments are very similar, starting around June 10, with good volume expected through the month right on into July. A couple of growers also have started growing some honeydew, which hasn’t been done in a number of years.
South Carolina has 22,000 acres of the product that should be shipping through the summer. Three decades South Carolinas had 40,000 acres of melons.
There also are good crops being reported with sweet corn, broccoli, and peppers.
Titan Farms of Ridge Spring, SC started very light peach shipments May 7th with loadings continuing until around Labor Day.
The company started its broccoli season the week of April 30th and will be wrapping up its season in the week or so. Bell pepper and eggplant shipments are just getting started and will continue until about the third week of July.
North Carolina Produce Shipments
Jackson Farming Co. of Autryville, N.C. is just winding down its strawberry shipments. Jackson has been shipping broccoli since early May that will continue through June. The company will kick off its cantaloupe season about June 15th and going through August; seedless watermelons starting June 30th and running through September; and eastern honeydews starting around July 5 and finishing the first week in August.
North Carolina also has a number of other items ranging from colored potatoes, to onions, sweet potatoes, green bell peppers, open-field colored bell peppers, cucumbers, squash, cabbage, chili peppers, tomatoes and eggplant.
Ham Farms of Snow Hill, N.C. started its harvest of red and green cabbage the week of May 21st.
Ham Farms also expects to begin watermelons the first week of July and hard squash in mid to late July. Sweet potatoes will be underway in late August or early September.