Imported Peruvian sweet onions are now arriving in the U.S., according to Bland Farms of Reidsville, GA.
A major grower of Vidalia sweet onions in southeast Georgia, Bland has transitioned to Peruvian product as part of its program to supply onions on a year around basis.
The company’s acreage in Peru has increased this year–a time when there are reports of growers cutting back on planted acreage to improve FOBs.
Bland Farms owns and operates its own fields in Peru and it has been farming there for nearly 30 years. The company avoids contracting with outside growers and has its own agronomist managing the crop.
Last fall, Bland Farms purchased the Vidalia facility it had leased for years and has since made significant investments in expanding its storage capacity as well as upgrading refrigeration and cooling technology. This allows the company to move onions from the field through drying and down to storage temperature in a fraction of the time it once took, helping it protect quality, extend shelf life and get more of the crop into controlled storage faster. The company also has its Glennville, GA operation, which gives it the largest storage capacity in the industry and allows it to extend the Vidalia season.
The Peruvian season is expected to run through January. From there, the Bland will transition to Mexico for sweet onions until it returns to Vidalia product in the spring.