Good quality and volume are being predicted by California strawberry grower-shippers through summer and into fall despite an unfavorable start to the season.
The California Strawberry Commission of Watsonville, CA reported as of the week ending July 8, the state’s growers had produced about 109 million trays of strawberries this season, down from last year’s 128 million trays to date because of a slow start caused by cool weather and an unusually wet winter and spring.
In fact, Bobalu Berries of Oxnard, CA has called it one of the worst starts in a long time.
However, conditions have improved significantly as the season progressed.
Bobalu reports it has been able to harvest much longer than usual in Oxnard. Historically, the Oxnard strawberry harvest is over by Mother’s Day. This year, the company was able to ship fresh fruit all the way through Memorial Day.
By July, weekly strawberry shipments were comparable to last year’s volume at Bobalu. However, it is unlikely total volume for the season will equal last year.
Seven Seas, of Visalia, CA is part of the Tom Lange Co. Inc., of St. Louis, which believes its volume should be up slightly this summer,
The company produces late-summer and early-fall strawberry crops in Santa Maria, Calif., and Lompoc, Calif., and transitions to Mexico in November for year-round production.
Gem-Pack Berries LLC, of Irvine, CA, which recently partnered withWell-Pict Berries, of Watsonville, CA grows most of its late-summer strawberries in Watsonville, with some fruit coming from Santa Maria. A fall crop is scheduled for the Oxnard district.
Gem-Pack ships strawberries year-round, with volume tapering off in late fall in the northern district just as Oxnard and central Mexico start to increase. Strawberry seasons in Florida and Irvine come into play in early winter.
Naturipe Farms LLC of Salinas, CA will have summer strawberries from the Watsonville/Salinas area and will transition in the fall to its Santa Maria and Oxnard operations.